Pain is Only Temporary
by YourGuardianAngel08
Summary: Tony and Peter are kidnapped by someone who wants something from Tony. Unfortunately, the price is far too high for him to pay so their situation becomes a war of attrition. They are forced to protect each other without easy access to their abilities or their suits, all the while looking for a way to escape before one of them ends up dead. Irondad/Spideyson; whump!Tony
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! I'm not sure what it is but I keep getting these story ideas that just will not go away until I write them down, so here's another one. This is going to be a bit longer than the last few I've written so I hope you're in the mood for a longer story this time. This one takes place in my loose, post-Infinity War timeline so in my mind, this takes place between "I'll Always Come When You Call" and "Never Let You Down". If you haven't read any of my other stories, that's totally fine, you don't need to for this to make sense but please know it is Irondad/Spideyson so if you don't like that general story line, this might not be a story for you.**

 **I hope you enjoy this new story!**

* * *

"The best made plans of mice and men…" H _ow did the rest of that saying go_ …" he asked internally before the spark of remembrance had him murmuring the rest of the quotation, "often go awry." The newest wrench thrown into his plan, stepped out of the back of the café with his target, of course it was a kid. "Dammit," he whispered a bit louder before he leaned forward and put his hand on his man's shoulder. "Take the shot." He ordered.

"Even with the kid there?" The man with the rifle asked, a bit unsure of his newest job.

"Yah, we'll just have to be quick about it. Make sure we get there fast enough to take Stark while he's still unsure of what's going on." The man answered, annoyance clear in his tone.

The sniper gave a one-armed shrug which also served to readjust the rifle. He took a deep breath, watching the two interact as he lined up the shot. Stark was laughing at something the kid said as he dug keys out of his pocket. The sniper lined up his shot, released the breath his was holding and pulled the trigger. He watched then with disbelief when he missed. The dart didn't deviate but it was the kid who went down hard, not Stark. "What the…" the sniper turned back to his employer, with an incredulous look, "that kid just stepped in front of the shot."

"On purpose?" The man asked disbelievingly.

The sniper loaded another dart as he pulled the scope back up in an attempt to find out. Stark was on the ground next to the kid, phone pressed to his ear as he scowled at the dart he had just pulled out of the kid's neck. "I'm not sure," the sniper responded, "there's no way he could have seen it coming…" he trailed off before immediately shifting back into a professional voice, "I have another shot."

"Make sure to get Stark this time." His employer scoffed even while there was no real anger behind the tone.

The line was easy and only a few moments after the kid had hit the ground, Stark was lying next to him. The sniper heard his employer give the order and the van quickly skid up next to the unconscious pair.

Two men jumped out and threw Stark onto the floor of the van but as their employer was closing the door, something gave him pause. He took a precious second to look at the kid on the ground. He was young, around sixteen or seventeen and he had a Stark Industries badge clipped onto the pocket of his jacket. In a split second decision the man called back to one of the men in the van, "Grab the kid too."

"Thought we were only here for Stark?" He argued.

The man rounded him and snapped, "Did I ask for a summary of _my_ plan? The kid has a badge and he was at lunch with Stark, whose to say we can't used him as leverage? I should not have to explain things to you. Just do what I say." The verbally assaulted man grumbled as he stepped back onto the sidewalk before none too gently throwing Peter up over his shoulder and dumping him unceremoniously into the van next to Stark. The door slid closed behind them.

Before the van started, the man leaned over the unconscious Stark and pulled a knife out of his jacket pocket. He murmured to himself as he started his bloody work, "And just to make sure he doesn't cause us too many problems before we get what we need from him," the man slipped the knife under the nanobot storage on Tony's chest and started to cut away at the housing just under his skin. Stark jerked a bit at the pain but the tranquilizer had been a strong one so there was really nothing he could do to fight back. It only took a few minutes for the man to cut the nanobot storage away before he pressed a bandage to the bleeding wound. He called up to the driver, "Alright, time to go." The man dropped the storage container into a lead-lined box. It was an old solution to problems of shielding but that didn't make it ineffective. He knew that the container probably sent a distress signal somehow but by the time anyone got to where the signal had been sent from, they would be long gone.

They handcuffed Stark's wrists together before doing the same thing to the kid on the floor next to him. The man was surprised that the kid started to groan as the cuffs were closed. It was as if he was waking up. But still, he didn't open his eyes and his body didn't stiffen so chances are, it was just a reaction to the rough treatment. As both their victims were contained, the man pulled the kid's badge off the front of his jacket, "Peter Parker, huh?" He looked the kid over again and whispered, "This is just not your day, Pete." He pocketed the badge, taking one last look at the newest addition to his plan before he turned back to his target. The man started to rifle through Tony's pockets, putting his phone and anything else that could possibly transmit a signal into the box with the nanobot container. He glanced back at Peter again and decided to do the same. He took Peter's phone and his watch but left his wallet and the few other odds and ends he found in his pockets, it seemed a bit cruel to steal everything from a kid who was already collateral damage.

* * *

Peter woke up handcuffed in the back of a van.

It was a jarring experience for a teenager and even more so for a teenage superhero because there was little doubt in the back of his rapidly analyzing mind that he could quickly get out of this but he forced himself to slow down. Natasha, Clint, and Steve had, on multiple occasions, beat it into his skull that it was necessary to understand the situation before acting so he stayed still. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing in an attempt to deal with his overactive spidey senses. Opening his eyes again, the first thing he saw was Mr. Stark's back. His hands were cuffed behind him as he was laying, rather uncomfortably on his side. Peter squashed the anger and fear that rose immediately in favor of continuing his exploration. A man with a rather large gun was sitting on a bench built into the side wall of the van. His head was resting against the wall and he seemed to be dozing with the gun clutched surprisingly tight against his chest. Then he caught sight of a man crouched between the driver and passenger seats, talking to, he assumed, two men based on their voices. They were talking about their final destination, something about arriving in the next twenty minutes or so. Then they started talking about him.

One of the men at the front, had a croaky voice and was in the middle of complaining, if his annoyed inflection was anything to go by, "Why the hell did we grab a kid? The job was Stark, now we've got another person who could identify us."

The man who was crouched between the chairs aggressively turned toward the man in the passenger seat, "Because I told you to and I'm paying you. I already explained this to you once and if you want me to continue paying you, or if you don't want me to throw you out of the van right now, I would suggest shuttin' up." The crouched man stared at froggy a little longer before he turned away, obviously ignoring any further argument.

Peter watched the interaction intensely, trying to get as much information as he could about the people who had taken them. Unfortunately, that attention was noticed.

"Hey boss," the man with the gun called over the sound of the traveling car, "the kid's up."

Peter's attention immediately snapped to the man who had been asleep only a few moments before and he cursed himself for not paying more attention. He watched as the leader shot a surprised look at the man with the gun before covering it and stiffly standing. The man walked with a slight limp and immediately Peter's mind flashed to the limp Tony had walked with since the battle with Thanos, then he realized that had no bearing on the situation and he forced himself to refocus his attention. The leader crouched down in front of him and fixed him with an intelligent, searching gaze. "Good morning, Peter." Peter recoiled at the silky tone that somehow knew his name, but he bit his tongue to keep from responding. The man seemed put off by Peter's lack of response but continued anyway, "I feel the need to apologize for the inconvenience we're about to cause you but you see, you don't work for the most reputable employer and unfortunately for you, you might become the next in a long line of collateral damage caused by Tony Stark. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that but I feel its best to warn you that it might be the case. Ultimately, it really depends on this man," the leader stood in a flash and kicked Tony hard in the back near his kidneys earning an unconscious grunt from him, "and what your relationship is." The leader was incredibly forthcoming and Peter thought about telling him exactly what their relationship was but at the same time, he was incredibly nervous about giving away information without knowing what was really going on. Still before he could answer, the man crouched and spoke again, "But for right now, I need you to go back to sleep." As he said it, Peter felt a needle jammed into the side of his neck and his senses started to rapidly slip away from him. His last thought was that they would need a way out.

* * *

Tony woke up, tied to a chair. Again. _Great_ , he snarked to himself, as his blurry vision caught up with his complaining head. But as soon as his vision came back, a sharp pain slipped into his mind, it felt like someone had cut his chest but looking down at the dark shirt, he couldn't see any indication of that. He pulled against the cuffs in frustration and then immediately stopped because of the pain the action caused. Then he realized what it was and nausea rolled his stomach. He wasn't sure why he knew but he was sure without being able to see that his nanobots were gone. He sat still for a few moments breathing through the pain before forcing his attention to the other huge problem. Rolling his head on stiff shoulders, which of course meant that he had been sitting like this for an indecently long, he groaned to work out the kinks. While he did that he tried to take in his surroundings only to stop dead when his eyes fell on Peter slumped in a chair less than a foot away from him. Tony's mind nearly short-circuited. Whatever this situation was, it just got increasingly more dangerous. And in that moment Tony made the decision to avoid letting whoever had taken them know who and what Peter was. He was going to keep the attention on himself and tell any lie he needed to, to keep them away from his kid. That meant he needed Peter's attention before the inevitable arrival of their kidnappers.

"Kid," Tony hissed, trying to keep his voice low enough that it would not be picked up by any cameras in the area. He needed time, not to bring them down on their heads.

* * *

Peter was sitting as still as he could with his head on his chest. He had already woken up once when he wasn't supposed too, he didn't want to make the same mistake again. As he sat, he tried to listen to the world around him. He wasn't getting much, there were a few people milling around in the hallway, there was some kind of quietly beeping electronic in the room, and he could hear Tony's even breathing but not much else. The longer he sat there, he tried to come up with ways to get them out. It was unfortunate that he had been unconscious for the trek into their newest location or he would have gotten them out almost as soon as their kidnappers left the two of them alone. As he went through all the permutations in his mind, he heard Tony groan and hiss as he started to wake up but it wasn't until he heard his nickname whispered nearly imperceptibly that it was safe to be awake. "Mr. Stark," Peter quickly and quietly responded. He couldn't talk as quietly as he knew he needed too because Tony's hearing wasn't as good as his. Plus, it gave him a chance to slowly 'wake up', or at least to use the method that always worked on May. He heard Tony whisper "Thank god" before he continued talking.

"You alright?" Tony asked, a little louder for the benefit of the camera or whatever they were using to monitor them.

"Good. You?" Peter responded. He was about to say more when he heard footsteps outside their room, he whispered as low as he dared, "They're coming."

"Little groggy but nothing a hot shower can't fix." Tony answered for the benefit of their captors before adding almost silently, "Don't tell them anything."

Peter gave a short nod and was about to say something else but the door to their holding cell swung open. The man Peter knew to be the leader strode into the room with a confidence that seemed out of place given the slight hitch in his assured steps. He was flanked by two more men, one of them Peter knew to be the man with the gun. The other was hulking brute seemed to be more along the lines of dumb-looking Cap. Still, the leader clapped his hands together and the lights in the room flashed on without any warning. The bright light seared Peter's brain and caused his eyes to water even as he slammed them shut against the light. He could not help but grunt at the pain it caused but he tried not to be too obvious about it. When he finally managed to squint open his burning eyes again, the man was sitting in front of them on a chair of his own and Tony was talking.

* * *

Tony watched Peter flinch as the lights came on suddenly. As it was, Tony had trouble adjusting, his eyes squinting hard against the harshness but anger flared in his chest when he watched Peter, knowing the pain abrupt changes like that caused because of his senses. Tony took the opportunity to sit farther forward in his chair, making himself into more of a target, more of a threat. He covered the motion though with an unassumingly bored expression as he waited for the man sitting across from him to start talking, to give him something that he could use to solve this mess.

"Hello, Tony." The smooth voice started convivially, juxtaposing the situation threatened by the solid, white walled room.

Tony cocked his head slightly to the side as he turned his full attention to the man, "And here I am without a way to respond to you."

"Hello works." The man responded with a smile.

"Yah but you knowing my name and me not knowing yours really just takes all the friendliness out of that greeting."

"Fair enough," the man thought for a moment before his bright eyes flicked to Tony's conspiratorially, "You can call me Jeff."

"Really?" Tony asked annoyed, "Jeff?"

"You didn't actually think I would tell you my real name?" Jeff answered back in equal annoyance.

"Fine, _Jeff_ ," Tony turned the name over with a haughtiness that only someone born to money can truly master. "How about you tell me why I'm here?"

Jeff leaned back in his chair, the laid-back nature strange in the sterile room. He spoke conversationally, "We can get to that later. First I want to know who the kid is? Do you have a love child the world is not privy too?"

Tony threw a look over at Peter like he just realized he was there. Tony managed to keep his expression schooled to one of disinterest and mild annoyance, one he kept when he looked back at Jeff. Casually shrugging, Tony answered, "He's no one. Just an intern who works in the lab. I think his name is…" he looked back over at Peter, "it's Patrick right?"

It had been the first test to see how far Peter was going to go with this and Tony couldn't help but be impressed by his acting ability. Peter looked at him wide-eyed and haltingly shook his head negatively before he answered, "I-its P-Peter, Mr. Stark."

"Oh…right," Tony answered before turning back to Jeff, "His name is Peter, he's been working on propulsion technology for some of our low level rockets."

Jeff narrowed his eyes dangerously at Tony, his laid-back demeanor cracking and showing a much more highly-strung nature. When he spoke, there was a disbelieving note to it, "You really expect me to believe that you take interns, whose name you don't know, to lunch?"

Tony shrugged off any indication that he was lying and decided to play to the asshole nature he had cultivated for so long, "I found it's the easiest way to figure out if they've thought of anything I haven't. You know, something rarely comes of the effort but, if it works, it makes business sense. If they think of something, I can capitalize on it, so I bite the bullet and take them out from time to time. On a rotating basis of course. Plus, it looks good if I'm seen working with the interns instead of just forcing them to slave away in the lab." Tony prayed that reasoning made sense.

Jeff's was a bit put off by that answer, it seemed to make sense even if it was not what he had expected. Needing a way to either break or compliment the answer, Jeff turned his gaze on Peter, "Is that true?"

Tony prayed that Peter took the cue he was trying to set up, or that he was not stubborn enough to contradict him. But he couldn't risk looking over at him, it would not make sense for him to care about a kid whose name he didn't even know.

Peter understood what his dad was trying to do and while it made him sick to his stomach, he was unwilling to give away more information to the men before the two knew more about who had taken them. He played up the stupid, nervous teenager thing, "Ya…yah. I…I've only met him once before today…we…we had lunch about f-five months ago…this is t…the second time."

The man scowled in Peter's direction but didn't really have a way to discount what he was saying. Then he looked back at Tony, lines of frustration clear on his composed face, "You have an intern who would step in front of a bullet for you?"

Tony's condescending tone affected a disbelieving edge and he started with a scoff, "You think he intentionally stepped in front of a bullet? How do you know the person who fired it was not just a bad shot?"

Jeff glanced back at the man over his left shoulder, a look Tony caught. That had been the man who had shot his kid, he mentally made a promise to himself that he would die first. Still, the man shrugged noncommittally. That seemed to work out better for Tony and Peter. "Fine," Jeff spat and he sat back down, immediately composed but now looking at Peter.

Tony did not like that attention, so he started talking again before Peter could glare back, "So now that we have that out of the way, what do you want?"

Jeff lazily fixed his gaze back on Tony, "Oh you know Stark, the usual. You have something I want and if you don't give it to me, I'll have to make you. The normal, pedestrian requests."

"Money then?" Tony asked, duly unimpressed, "You went to all this trouble for a payday. Just a run of the mill kidnapping? I'm not sure why I assumed it would be something more…imaginative than that."

Jeff just smiled, amused, as he shook his head, "Oh no, I don't want money. I have money, I need something a bit more...creative."

"BARF," Tony blurted out, trying to come up with his most ridiculous invention, "Its BARF you want, isn't it. Still need to fix that name." Tony pressed on, "So, what happened? Did your parents not love you enough? Do you want to go back to fix that?" When the man didn't respond, Tony continued to poke, "Take it from someone whose infamously maladjusted because of that, doing dumb things, like kidnaping Iron Man, does not make up for the lacking connection." He fixed the man with his most exasperated look.

Still the man just smirked back, a knowing look in his eye, like he had anticipated this level of bravado. It was not an insight of any extraordinary proportions but it was a little disconcerting that he was not the least bit put off by Tony's comments. Tony, for the first time, felt panic creep into the forefront as his mind, Jeff seemed to have a much better handle on what was going on that Tony wanted. But at the same time, Peter was with him, and that made it infinitely worse. He wanted his kid to be anywhere else but here. In order to cover the panic and fear, Tony turned it into arrogance, "So if it's not my stellar advice that you want, what is it? Unfortunately, 'normal' and 'pedestrian' are not super descriptive."

Jeff narrowed his eyes again, "Does it often happen that people just tell you exactly what they want?"

Tony was a bit taken aback by that question, "Yah, usually that's exactly what they do."

Jeff fixed him with a disbelieving gaze and shrugged, "Then I apologize for the vagueness. Truly I only want a few things from you. And I feel like they are not completely unreasonable requests." He continued with a businesslike tone as he listed his demands, "I want the formula for your reconstructive technology, your nanobot research, oh…and I need the name of the man who calls himself Spider-Man."

Tony was mentally nodding along until Jeff asked about Peter. "Why?" Tony immediately responded, before he realized he responded too quickly, and he tried again, "Why do you need those things. That's a strange combination and at least two of those are closely guarded secrets." He mentally applauded himself for keeping his voice even, as he worked to squash his panic and fought to keep his eyes off the kid beside him.

Jeff just smirked, "Lets just say, I have a business stake in the matter. As a businessman, I assumed you could relate." The man sneered at the thinly veiled moment of panic he had seen on Tony's face. He knew he had hit a nerve, now he just needed to figure out exactly what it was. He pulled just a little farther, "I don't particularly want to hurt you, or the kid," he said as he stared at Tony, "but if you don't give me what I want, I will."

Tony refused to give the man any indication that Peter was somehow important. He kept his expression neutral even while he promised himself that if the sniper guy was going to die first, Jeff was going to be close behind him. His mental distraction seemed to work because Jeff stared at him intently before he scowled in Peter's direction, as though part of his plans did not work out the way he wanted. He turned back to Tony, "So I'm guessing you're not going to give me what I want?"

Tony shrugged again, a smirk of his own plastered on his face, "Sorry, not that easily." Then he added, "I'm sure you understand, being a businessman and all." Poking angry bears was not usually a good idea but Tony was pissed and this was really the only way he could deal with it.

Jeff sighed heavily, as if he was going to hate whatever he was going to do next, "If that is your decision, then this is on you."

For a moment, Tony's heart froze in his chest. It ran through his mind that meant that Peter was in danger but then the brute who had been standing behind Jeff's right shoulder, stepped up and unceremoniously slugged Tony in the face. His head snapped toward Peter and he could feel the blood pooling on his split lip. Sucking in his bottom lip, Tony pressed the attention. Looking over at Jeff, he nodded in the direction of the guy who had just hit him, "That's it? That's what you're going to do? You're right, this entire thing is not very creative."

Jeff leaned forward onto his knees, "Just because something is not creative, doesn't meant it's not effective." He leaned back into his chair and flicked his hand up at the big guy again.

Tony knew what was coming. He braced for the impact and sent a silent apology to his son. Peter was never going to forgive himself for this.

* * *

 **So that's the first chapter. Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

 **I hope you have a wonderful day/night and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for the response to the first chapter! It was so awesome to read your reviews so I wanted to shout out to chaanoirr, Thiswouldbeakick, Skydancer121, Huffledog, perplexion08, and HHaines. It's always really nice to hear when someone enjoys what you've written so I wanted to tell you that you all made my day. Thank you!**

 **I so glad to know people are enjoying the story and I'm hoping that this chapter meets all your expectations.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Peter watched the Cap-sized man step up to Tony and, without comment, sucker punch him. Peter's eyes widened as Tony's head snapped toward him and he saw the blood blossom across the man's face from the hit. Anger flared in his chest as he watched Tony recover and continue to goaded Jeff. He tensed when he heard the response and could not help but suck in an audible breath when Jeff flicked his hand into the air. Then he saw the subtle change in Tony's posture as he prepared for the next attack and Peter had to bite down on his tongue to keep from calling out when that attack came. Tony's head snapped back and Peter felt like the punch had hit him in the gut.

But then the big man kept throwing punches.

Flesh hitting unprotected flesh was a terrible sound and one that sent shivers down Peter's spine as he tried to force himself to remember he was supposed to be afraid. But that left him trying to displace the anger that was slowly trying to strangle him. Another hit snapped Tony's head toward him and Peter felt iron in his own mouth as he realized he bit down hard enough on his tongue to draw blood. Still the blows continued to fall and he could not help but tense against the handcuffs, there was little else he could do to keep his expression appropriately afraid. And it worked for a few hits more until he heard the metal start to creak under his strength. Breaking out of his handcuffs would definitely draw a lot of unwanted attention that would get them in more trouble. They didn't know enough about what was going on to make a breakout feasible, so with a strength of will he didn't realize he possessed, he forced himself to relax against the cuffs and watch his dad be beaten. Peter was livid and terrified but more than anything, he felt immense guilt. He knew he could stop this, he knew he could get them out of here. But Tony told him not to give them anything, so instead, he sat and stewed.

* * *

Jeff watched the attack impartially. Ultimately, this was a means to an end and he felt very little sympathy for the billionaire. He knew how strong Brad was and knew that after a few more hits like what he had already witnessed, the man would be a drooling mess. Jeff also knew how much Brad enjoyed causing pain and that was useful for him because Jeff was more interested in the effect that pain had. His initial goal had been to talk to Stark throughout the beating, try to get him to listen to reason but as the attack continued, his attention was drawn increasingly to this mysterious intern.

Jeff had seen children and young adults in traumatic situations. They cried, screamed, fought, hid but regardless of how they reacted, there was always some level of desperation and wildness to their actions. This kid, though, was different. He was transfixed by the attack, his sharp eyes following each of the blows with a mildly frightened expression. And as the attack wore on, his expression changed, morphing from temperate fear to outright loathing. And as the last few hits fell, Peter watched with a screwed up look of seething hatred.

Resolving to see exactly what else he could find out, Jeff called over to Brad, "That's enough for now." He nearly berated him when Brad snarled but gave Stark one last hard uppercut before he stepped back away from the man. Jeff scowled in his direction but since the last attack benefited his goal, he let the transgression go...for now. Jeff's attention was drawn back to Stark in surprise when the man groaned and managed to move his head a bit, apparently still awake. Maybe being Iron Man for as long as he had, had given him some stamina. Still that was only mildly interesting and Jeff cared more about the intern at the moment so he turned his attention back to Peter.

Peter was staring at Stark. He was fixated on the slow movements of the injured man and from where he was standing, Jeff could see Peter continuously flexing his fingers into fists before releasing them. It was an incredible level of control. Narrowing his eyes at the strange behavior, he decided to try to push the kid a little farther, so he turned back to Danny, his sniper, "What do you think? Has Stark had enough for the day?"

The man had been leaning against the back wall with his arms crossed but when he was addressed, he kicked off and stepped forward. Lazily walking up to Stark, Danny crouched down in front of Tony and grabbed ahold of his chin before sharply snapping his head up. The movement startled the beaten man and he squinted his eyes open. Jeff saw Peter sit up a bit higher at the motion. The sniper twisted Stark's head to each side before he let go, causing Tony's head to fall back against his chest with a soft thud. Then he stood and addressed Jeff, "Yah I think he has. He's still kinda there though, which I'm a little surprised about." He grinned, "We'll just have to try harder next time."

Jeff shot him a smirk at the comment, Stark might not be totally with it but he definitely heard that. Turning back more fully toward the other two, he ordered, "That's it for the day." Again, he watched Peter's gaze as his men started to move out of the room. He was focused on Stark and it was only when the door opened that he visibly shook himself back into the situation at hand. The change in his demeanor was interesting.

* * *

Peter wanted nothing more than to kill these men. Actually kill them. He wanted to break their faces in the same callous manner that they had used when they beat his dad. But he couldn't so instead, he just stared at Tony, trying to catch any little movement or instance of consciousness he could latch onto. He was so focused it was not until the door opened at the back of the room that he realized the men were leaving. Then he had an idea.

"Wait," Peter squeaked out, careful to school his tone as he waited for one of the men to turn around, "what about me?" The selfish question felt like ash in his mouth, but he wanted to do something to help Tony so he pressed forward, "Are you leaving me here?" He forced his voice to waver in weakness.

* * *

For all his suspicions, Jeff could not help feel sympathy for this kid. He saw the fear on his face now and realized Peter might have a more violent past than what he had initially thought. There was another level to this kid, he had seen violence before, and once he realized that, Jeff turned with an almost regretful expression, "For now, Pete, yes. It's nothing personal but I can't have you doing anything to help your employer escape. I don't know exactly who you are yet so I can't trust you without restraints."

Peter inwardly cursed the rejection but figured he had nothing to lose trying again, "Please, I promise I'll be good." Even though he knew it might not work, he couldn't bring himself to say that he was not going to help his dad when he desperately needed it. So he pressed the scared kid element that seemed to be working on his man, "My arms and wrists just really hurt and I think that having the cuffs off will make them feel better." Peter forced his voice into a whine.

Jeff looked the kid over for a few moments before he sighed heavily and pulled a key out of his pocket. He leaned down in front of Peter and looked him in the eye, "I'm going to take your cuffs off for a few hours but that means when one of us comes back in to put them on, you have to be okay with that."

A sense of triumph washed over Peter. He could work with a few hours. Not quite trusting himself to speak, he vigorously nodded his acceptance of the terms. And sat with bated breath as Jeff stepped behind him and slid the key into the lock. The cuffs popped and fell away, allowing Peter to bring both his arms around, wincing at the pins and needles that started almost immediately. "Tha…thank you." He stuttered.

Jeff gave him a slight smile as he pocketed the key and cuffs, "You're welcome. Now remember what I said and be good when we come back in later."

Peter nodded again and before Jeff could leave the room, he decided to press his luck just a little more, realizing that if he could figure out what was going on, he could convince Tony to let him get them out of here. So he forced his voice to waver again as he called out to Jeff, "Wha…why are you doing this?"

Jeff fixed Peter with another sympathetic look as he offered, "I have to. It's hard to explain but I have to do this."

Peter forced his eyes to start to water, admittedly it wasn't hard given what he had just seen, and argued back with a petulant voice, "That doesn't mean anything. Why are you doing this?"

Jeff's expression slipped a bit into annoyance but he still gave an answer as he stepped closer to Peter's chair and laid a hand on the kid's shoulder, "Ask me again in a few days, maybe I'll explain then."

Peter hiccuped a sob as Jeff laid a hand on his shoulder. He skin crawled at the touch but he forced himself to stay still, to build the relationship. When Jeff didn't say anything else, Peter realized it was probably best not to push so hard so early, instead he nodded slowly. Jeff seemed to take that as his cue to leave and he dropped his hand before turning toward the door. As he reached it, he turned slightly and called back, "I am sorry about this Peter, maybe you can try to convince Stark that its best for him to give everything up sooner rather than later." He shut the door behind him and Peter heard a key turn in a lock before a heavily mechanism sealed them inside. Still, it did not particularly matter to him because at least he was uncuffed and he realized that Jeff didn't tell him not to talk to Tony. Peter resolved to take advantage of that oversight.

* * *

As soon as Peter heard Jeff's footsteps move out of range, he scrambled over to his dad. He crouched down in front of his chair and laid his hands on the sides of his face, "Mr. Stark?" He quietly called, shivering at the name that was equally familiar and terrifying because it had been so long since he had to call him that. Still the name didn't matter because Tony just groaned against his hands and didn't say anything. Peter spoke again, "Mr. Stark, please. I need you to at least look at me, okay?" He whispered almost silently, "I need to know you're okay." When he still didn't get a response, he let his fingers slip into his dad's hair just a bit to try to get his attention in another way. "Mr. Stark, please." He could feel the control he had when there was an immediate threat disappearing and he found himself desperately begging, "I need to talk to you, dad, please." Peter realized his slip immediately and cursed himself for it, praying to Thor that no one outside of this room heard it.

* * *

Tony heard someone talking but he couldn't find the energy to answer it. Then he felt kind, soft hands in his hair and a desperate voice begging for his attention but as he pushed himself toward it, he felt excruciating pain and recoiled. Still the voice kept pushing him. Kept begging him for…something. It dragged him increasingly toward the surface until he was able to make out words. It was a name. A name he remembered from what felt like forever ago. Then he heard 'dad'. It was Peter. Tony absolutely had to answer his son. He forced his mind to the surface, clawing through the pain to force his eyes open. He blinked a few times to clear blood out of his vision and then he fixed his gaze on Peter. Smiling slightly he whispered, "Hey kid…" but the pain of his injuries forced his eyes closed again as he tried to groan it away.

"Hey, d…" Peter stopped himself this time and immediately covered, "Mr. Stark."

Tony forced his eyes open again and when he saw the pain in Peter's eyes, he panicked, "How're you doing?"

Peter could have screamed at him for worrying about him right now, but he didn't, instead he beat back his anger and answered the question, "I'm alright, I'm more worried about you."

Tony smiled sadly, "…'m worried 'bout you."

Peter realized this conversation was too familiar for two people who had only met twice so he tried to shift the focus. "Mr. Stark," he started, earning a momentarily confused look from Tony, "I think you need to give them what they want." He said, a little louder, "That man said that he would let us go if you just give him what he wants." Peter tried to make his voice as scared as possible even while he was rubbing his fingers through Tony's hair to help ease some of his pain.

Tony, for all his pain and exhaustion, remembered enough to get what Peter was doing, and projected his voice the best he could, "…can't do that. 'm sorry." He stopped himself from using the kid's name, "Can't give up…secrets."

Peter dropped his head like he was disappointed and dropped his hands out of Tony's hair into his lap. "I understand, Mr. Stark."

The conversation fell there, Peter knew there was a limit to what he could do to comfort Tony but he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he didn't try to do something so he settled on moving his chair a little closer so that he could bump his knee against his dad's at times to keep the contact and not appear too obvious. Then he settled in to wait. While he sat there, his mind was split between Tony struggling groans, his own anger, and trying to figure out a way to get them out of this.

* * *

Danny found Jeff nursing a beer in the observation room, his back to the television screens as he contemplated some invisible thing across the room. The sniper snagged his own beer out of the styrofoam cooler and opened it as he sat down next to his boss.

Danny took a few long swigs before he broached the topic he came in to talk about. Without looking over, he quietly asked, "Why are we keeping this kid?" He knew how angry Jeff got when he was questioned on a mission but there was nothing for it, he needed to know the plan.

Jeff shot him a look of frustration and slight insecurity but sighed heavily and explained with a wince, "Honestly, I'm not sure but something in my gut is telling me we have to keep him here."

The sniper nodded silently as he matched Jeff's gaze across the room before he continued, "Is this a 'you feel guilty about probably having to kill him and are putting it off' thing or a 'I think we can get some leverage out of this' thing?" Danny replied, carefully toeing the line for how much he could ask about a mission decision.

Jeff gave a heavy sigh, "I'm not sure Danny, all I know is that something is weird about that kid. He barely flinched when Brad worked Stark over. Think about everything we've seen. What kinda kid doesn't react to that?" He took a swig of his beer to calm his nerves.

Danny thought for a moment before he answered, "In my experience, a kid who doesn't react is a kid whose seen it before."

Jeff glanced over at him, glad to have his last thought vindicated, "I know." He took another drink before he continued, "That's why I let him out of his cuffs. There's something about this kid and it might not pan out, but I feel like he still has a role to play in this."

Danny took a long look at the man next to him before finding his invisible spot again, "As a benefit or a liability?"

Jeff snorted at his perceptiveness, "Not sure yet but until we find out, he's stuck here."

Danny nodded slowly at that, he knew this was Jeff's call but he still needed him to know his limit, "Well, I'm with you. You've always had my back and I get why you're doing this but I have to tell you, I'm not killin' a kid. If it comes down to it, you make Brad do it. I'm not pulling that trigger."

Jeff looked him over as he finished off his beer. He tipped the bottle up just to make sure it was empty before he dropped it into the bin next to him and continued, "I know. I wouldn't ask you to. If that kid needs to die, me or Brad'll do it."

Danny couldn't hide his surprise, even while he tried to cover it with another long gulp of his beer.

Jeff clapped him on the shoulder then, his voice much more optimistic, "We'll get Stark to give us what we want and by the time we get that, we can let the kid go and it's not gonna matter what happens to us."

They sat in companionable silence for a time before Danny spoke again, his slow drawl pulling at the dim shadows in the room, "What if you're right?" He asked as he looked over at Jeff, "What if there is something more to the kid? Or more about the two of them? You thinkin' of using him to get Stark to tell us what we want to know?"

Jeff nodded slowly as he popped the cap off another drink, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't think of that," the smooth tone pushed the shadows back again, "but that'll be the last thing we do. I think we can break Stark. He's just a man without that suit. And if I had to guess, he's never really had to deal with a situation he can't just punch his way out of." He smirked over at Danny's scoff, then his tone turned morose again, "But if the kid becomes a means to an end, well…" he trailed off letting the conclusion drift away into the alcohol-soaked air.

Danny took the meaning to heart, "Brad won't have a problem with it. He'll do what you tell him."

"I know." Jeff answered distractedly. Killing a kid was not what he had in mind when he had undertaken this particular mission but if it needed to happen, the outcome of the mission was more important than the life of this kid.

The conversation fell again, as it was wont to do with people who knew each other well, and it wasn't until they were nearly done with their third drink that Danny broached a topic he had been thinking about earlier. Pointedly setting his bottle down, he turned slightly on his chair to address Jeff directly. He lowered his voice as if he was protecting a trade secret when he asked, "How's she doing?"

Jeff glared at him for a moment but still glanced around the room like he was looking for prying eyes before he answered, "She's okay." When he saw Danny's imploring gaze, he continued, "You know my Bella, she's a fighter. She'll hold on."

"I know it, boss." Danny answered, accepting the simplified explanation he had been given, knowing that this was not an information battle he could win.

Jeff looked at him carefully before he added, "We just need to finish this, regardless of what that end looks like."

Danny nodded in agreement.

Once Jeff finished his beer, he pushed himself away from the table before explaining, "I'm gonna go put the kid's cuffs back on. We'll give him a night to get adjusted to his new reality before we start in on Stark again in the morning." When Danny didn't argue, Jeff took that as acceptance and left the sniper to continue his drinking alone. As he was leaving the room, he called over his shoulder, "Go grab Rick, tell him its his watch on the monitors tonight."

* * *

Peter heard the footsteps coming toward their prison long before Jeff put the key into the lock and he huffed his anger as he moved his chair back away from his dad's. Pressing his hands together, he tried to still his shaking hands just a bit so he could deal with being handcuffed again. He would have preferred to remain uncuffed but he also knew he needed to stay on their captor's good side for as long as he could. He tucked his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs as he rested his head on his knees. Settled, he waited for the inevitable.

He heard Jeff slid the key into the lock and listened to the excruciatingly slow grinding of the door. His senses were almost painfully pounding at the back of his mind, focusing on the threat as he stepped through the room. Peter watched the man pulled the cuffs from in his pockets as he entered and Peter tried to school his expression as Jeff addressed him.

Jeff was happy to see the room in order as he stepped inside, maybe the kid was more amiable than he initially thought and some of the suspicion from earlier melted away. He held up the cuffs as he stepped toward the chair. "Come on, Pete. Time to give up some of that freedom."

Peter complied even as he recoiled at the nickname Jeff chose, that was his dad's and no one else's. Still, he kicked his legs off the chair and dropped his arms behind him without a fight. Jeff seemed to accept his acquiesce because he knelt behind him and snapped the cuffs closed without another word. He stood and walked slowly out of the room, pausing again at the door before throwing over his shoulder, "Good night, Pete." And closed the door behind him.

Only once the key turned in the lock and the footsteps fell away did Peter give in and start to cry.

* * *

 **So that's the second chapter! I hope you enjoyed it and feel free to let me know what you think in the reviews.**

 **I hope everyone has a good night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! Here's another chapter for my awesome readers, thank you so much for the reviews and the likes and follows, it really means a lot. Shout out to my awesome reviewers: perplexion08 (I'm so sorry it was 5 in the morning by the way!), the awesome guest commenter, skydancer121 (I'm trying to be faster :) ), Indigene Sky, and Thiswouldbeakick (I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!).**

 **I also wanted to answer a question that Indigene Sky asked about Tony and Peter's relationship. So I watched the director's commentary on Infinity War and kind of got stuck on the fact that they said the relationship between Tony and Peter was a father/son relationship and so a few stories later I had created a loose universe for my stories where they are more open about that fact because of what happened after Peter made it back. This story is in the middle of that established loose universe so they refer to each other as father as son but Tony is not Peter's biological dad. I hope that makes sense!**

 **So on with the story, I hope it was worth the wait!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The world detonated around them in a jarring explosion of light and sound.

The cacophonous sound of a thousand different instruments playing a thousand different tunes in a thousand different keys was painfully complimented by strobe lights randomly flaring to life and then dying again. The sound tore through Peter's senses, forcing him to shrink farther into his chair as he cried out in pain and wrenched his hands apart in a crazed effort to cover his ears. As the lights flared to life, he slammed the heels of his hands into his eyes and curled his legs up toward his chest as he tried so hard to become smaller. To shrink away from the sense-shattering attack.

Tony jerked awake as ear-splitting, indistinguishable sounds rocked their little prison. He forced his eyes open as wide as he could only to slam them shut again as soon as he realized that the flashing, red lights behind his eyelids were actually bright strobe lights cutting through the darkness of the room. He jerked against the cuffs around his wrist, feeling the metal cut into his skin but even feeling that new bite of pain was not enough to stop him from unconsciously trying to jerk his hands up to his ears to try and protect them just a bit from the auditory assault.

Then as soon as the sound started, it cut out.

When the assault ended, Tony forced his eyes open again. Squinting at first, just to make sure he wasn't imagining the end of the sound, he tried to get his bearings. And when he was finally able to get a full eye open, he glanced over to Peter. Panic welled up in his throat when he realized Peter was curled in his chair with his hands tucked up over his head, which was buried in his chest and knees. The panic was joined by guilt when he realized what that noise had to have done to Peter's senses. Leaning as far as he could toward him, Tony quietly whispered, "Pete?" Tony watched as Peter jerked at the new sound but didn't respond. He just continued to press his hands tightly into his head.

Peter knew the sound and the lights had stopped but his entire body was throbbing in time with the closest thing to a rhythm the sounds had and he could not help but continue to try to shrink into the chair. The pressure on his back and on his head helped to ground him even while his senses were going haywire. He heard what sounded like his name but it was muffled, like it had been yelled underwater and while Peter barely knew his name, he knew he was on dry land so instead he focused on calming down his frayed senses. Then he heard his name a second time, then a third, then a fourth and by that point he had calmed the pain in his mind enough to at least look up at the source of the calls.

Tony watched Peter continue to try to curl in on himself and as his continued to press his head impossibly close to his chest, Tony noticed the handcuff hanging off his wrist. _Shit_ , Tony thought even as he continued to call Peter's name, each time with a little more urgency. It was by the fourth call he was able finally see the white-knuckled grip release as the kid looked up at him. Tony immediately noticed that Peter's pupils were so dilated his eyes were almost black and the pain he saw reflected there drove a dagger into his chest. "Pete? Kid? Please look at me?"

Peter managed to squint his eyes open as he looked over at Tony, "Dad?" He asked quietly, still trying to adjust, "Wha…wha happened?"

"I think that was the alarm for the day. Worst convenience call I've ever heard," Tony quipped as he carefully rolled his shoulders against fear in his chest. When Peter didn't even hiccup a laugh, Tony looked back over at him, trying as carefully as he could to avoid being picked up on any audio recorder, "Pete, you okay?"

"No," Peter groaned against the throbbing heartbeat in his head that had taken the place of the raucous noise. When he opened his eyes again, he managed to somehow feel a little more like himself though so it was a bit more believable when he added, "but I will be."

Tony took that for what it was, an acknowledgement that Peter needed to be alright and so he would be and if the thought made Tony sick, now was not the time to dwell on it. Tony knew there were a few things he needed to say before their tormentors chose to wake up but there was an obvious piece he needed to address first, so he dropped his head to his chest and whispered nearly inaudibly, "Pete, you need to fix those cuffs."

Peter didn't even realize he had broken them, couldn't think of when he had done it and so when his dad pointed it out, he couldn't help but offer a soft, "shit" in reply. He pulled his hands away from his head and looked down at the restraints. He had broken them at the link in the center but by some miracle, the broken link was still on the chain. There was really no way for him to fix them completely and get them behind his back but he figured it would be more likely that he was able to slip his wrists out from them more so than it was that he was able to break the metal link holding them together. So he quickly fixed the link before slightly loosening one of the cuffs so he could slid his hand into and out of it. After he was finished, he looked over to where Tony had his eyes closed. "Mr. Stark?" he asked quietly, unsure of when the man had fallen back to sleep.

Tony coughed out of his doze, "I'm here, Pete, sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, look." And he turned his wrist up from where it was sitting in his lap before he slipped his hand out of the now, mostly fixed looking cuffs.

"Tha's good." Tony pushed himself a bit higher in his chair as he carefully turned toward Peter, "Look kid, I need to tell you something before they come back in and I need you to actually listen to me." Tony had a hard time suppressing a groan as his position started to hurt his already stiff back.

Peter heard the tone in his dad's voice and he promptly dropped his hands onto his lap, sheepishly meeting Tony's eyes.

Tony took the kid's attention as his cue to continue. He dropped his voice low and ordered, "Keep pretending. Do whatever you can to lie, to keep them from knowing who you are, you can't let them know who you are."

Peter immediately bristled, he knew why Tony was saying this and he hated it, he couldn't keep himself from answering back in a snapped whisper, "What if it gets us out of here? We need to get out of here."

Tony immediately started to shake his head, "Doesn't matter, you also have to protect yourself."

"Dad…" Peter trailed off, ignoring the reality that was implied with that comment.

"Peter," Tony ordered, turning to actually face his kid the best he could. He winced against the pain but he forced the words out anyway, "I'm not losing you again. If you can find a way out fine, but do not, under any circumstances, give yourself away."

As soon as Peter heard his full name he knew he needed to pay attention but following that order was a shot through the heart. His dad was willing to take more pain for him. Peter immediately swore, to himself, that wouldn't happen. He was going to get out of this room and then he was going to get the both of them out of this place.

Still none of it mattered because as soon as Tony was able to get that out, the shrieking sound echoed through the room again. And both were forced to deal with the sound and lights as they cut through their consciousness, forcing everything else to the back of their minds.

* * *

The horrendous pattern lasted for what felt like the rest of the day but in all actuality could have been a few hours, it was impossible to tell.

Tony knew the toll this had to be taking on Peter's senses, could see how badly the kid would curl up when the sounds started and by the fourth cycle he was in tears. Tony would wait until the sound and the lights cut off to try to talk to him. During some of the longer breaks, Peter would be able to eventually respond but during others, it was difficult for him to beat back the pain of the treatment before it started again. For Tony, watching the horrific pain Peter was in was significantly worse than anything their captors could think to do to him alone.

Eventually, even Tony was unable to lift his head off his chest. He could hear Peter sobbing and whimpering, could feel him twitching intermittently throughout all of it. It was terrible. During the next break, Tony started to fiddle with the cuffs on his wrists, if he could get them off, maybe he could get Peter some kind of break. Or even just give him a hug. Still, the cycle continued unabated and the scramble that became his brain made it hard to get the cuffs any farther than half way up his hand.

* * *

Jeff glanced at the cameras as he waited for the sound to cut out for the last time. In his experience, something like this was used best on a timetable. Since it was the first time for the two of them, he decided on six hours, it was enough to make them think but shouldn't have been enough to drive them insane. Still he did feel bad for the kid. Jeff had been watching him react a bit more extremely than Stark throughout all of it. It didn't matter though, they would have a bit of a break for the rest of the night. He still had to make sure they stayed alive. Jeff called over to his second in command, "Danny, let's go. Grab the food." It wasn't much, just a few pieces of bread, some soup, and water. It would keep them alive but hungry.

As Danny stepped up next to him, Jeff couldn't help but notice that there were a few extra pieces of bread on one of the trays and raised his eyebrows a bit at the observation. Danny seemed to be able to read him well enough to answer his unasked question, "It's for that kid, he doesn't need to starve because of Stark." Jeff thought about arguing but realized Danny was right, "Give him a little more soup too." Danny stepped away to fulfill the request.

* * *

They watched them while they ate, careful to keep them from talking to each other. It left Peter to think. They were not going to get anywhere if they were stuck in this room. They needed information. He glanced over at the tray Danny had set down in front of his dad and realized they had given him more to eat. An idea slowly started to form in his mushy mind. He, for whatever reason, seemed to have their captors' sympathy and he desperately needed to change their circumstance. He needed to leave this room.

When they were finished, Danny took the trays silently stepped toward the door.

Peter took his chance. They needed information and he was going to get it. Forcing his eyes to water, Peter whimpered out, "Do I have to stay in here?" Given the extra food, he could help but try to play to the sympathy he had continued to see from their captor. He refused to look over at his dad because he knew if he did, he would lose any ability to lie.

Jeff started at the comment but as he turned to rebuke the teenager, he took in the deep bags under Peter's eyes and felt another wave of regret for what he had already put him through. And the more he looked at Peter, the more he felt himself wavering on the unprovoked punishment. If this was meant to be to get Stark to tell him what he knew, it seemed a little excessive for a kid with no real connection to the situation to be stuck in the same room. He watched the tears slide down Peter's exhausted face and he realized that this kid was suffering for his associations, not because of anything he had done. Jeff glanced over at Danny who just shrugged. That was enough and Jeff immediately made a decision, "No, you don't." He slipped the key out of his pockets again and took the cuff off his wrist so Peter could pull his arms into his lap. Once he did that, Jeff stepped in front of him and closed the cuff around his wrist again. Jeff tugged at Peter's arm to get him to stand, "Let's go. If you want to leave, now's the time."

Peter practically jumped up out of his chair, even while his stomach rolled and turned as he pretended to be okay leaving Tony behind. He stumbled as he stood and used that as a chance to turn around and catch his dad's eye. Peter could see the pain and concern but there was also some relief. Still, all Peter could think was that maybe this would give him a chance to be alone, to find a way out. He stood obediently still as he waited until they started to move. Instead, they seemed ready to toy with Tony.

Jeff sneered down at the cuffed Stark, "Geez, Stark, your intern would rather be anywhere else than with you."

That made Peter's stomach roll violently and he had to force his body to hold down the soup and bread they had given him. But while Peter was dealing with that, Tony sneered as he met his tormentor's eye, "I think that's more of a comment on your hospitality than my personality."

Jeff sneered back, "Guess that means you're not ready to tell me what I want to know?"

Tony pretended to think for a moment before he snapped, "No, I'll pass. Honestly, I've been pretty desperate for a new genre of music, I think you might have found the new fad. It really is kind of like bad EDM on acid."

"Have it your way, Stark. Let's go." Jeff snapped to the people behind him.

* * *

They lead Peter through the hallways and he focused on memorizing all of them. It was only a few turns before they brought him into a large room that looked like some kind of control room. There were monitors on one wall and a couple of chairs and a table. It wasn't a large room but it would be enough to hold him. Jeff looked over at Danny, "Go grab one of the cots. We'll keep him in here for now." The sniper left without a word.

Peter could not help but groan inwardly at that, the lock was on the outside of the door.

Jeff turned toward him with a sympathetic glance, "So, there are going to have to be a few ground rules while you're in here. You may not leave the room without Danny or me." He paused as he waited for Peter to nod, which took a few moments for him to realize. When Peter nodded his acceptance, Jeff continued, "You may not move around this room freely." Peter caught on a bit quicker this time, "And you may not cause any problems for anyone who is in here. Do you understand me?"

Peter was well beyond listening, instead, he was staring passed Jeff, trying to get a handle on the screens just behind his head. When he realized that he was supposed to be paying attention, Peter just nodded absentmindedly as he split his attention between the screens and the rules Jeff was laying down. It was only when Jeff asked if Peter understood, that Peter forced himself to meet Jeff's eye, "Yah I understand."

"Good," Jeff responded before awkwardly diverting his attention to just about anything else in the room, when his eyes landed on the cooler in the corner, "Oh and…no drinking any of the beer."

Peter couldn't help but turn his head in surprise at that, "Oh…okay…" He stuttered.

Jeff hesitantly nodded again before the room lapsed back into an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes until there was a knock on the door. Jeff practically jumped toward the door and nearly tore it off the hinges as he tried to get away from the awkwardness. Danny was standing there with a questioning expression, "Everything okay, boss?" He asked as he turned and dragged the cot into the room before pressing it into the corner and folding it out.

Once it was set up, Jeff looked over at Peter, "Come here Pete."

Peter quickly complied. As soon as he was seated, Jeff unhooked one of his cuffs and slipped it around the frame on the bed. Peter nearly laughed at the restraints because he knew how easily he could pop the cuff off the frame, but the laugh was strangled in his throat when he remembered what his dad said.

Jeff stepped away from the bed and looked down at Peter, "Alright, stay here…uh…Danny'll be here for a bit and then Brad'll be in after that. Just remember what I said, don't bother them."

Peter nodded haltingly. He wanted to ask about why he was doing this but remembered that Jeff had told him to wait a few days and given everything he had seen about the man, he was not one to really be questioned so instead he kept his mouth shut and resolved to find out as much as he could until he inevitably ended up back with his dad.

* * *

It was the sound that woke him first. His ears didn't have the benefit of a natural barrier but as soon as the sound cut through the almost sleep he had been able to achieve, Tony's eyes flew open. Only for him to immediately slam them shut again against the light show. He groaned at his own stupidity. Then he forced himself to breathe through his nose, to slow down the panic. It worked a bit. He relaxed against the cuffs and waited for the sound to stop.

When it finally did, he slowly peeled his eyes open and glanced to where Peter had been sitting. But this time there was no one next to him, not even a chair to indicate where his son had been and all the work that Tony had done to calm his breathing evaporated as the panic slammed back into him. He started to sweat and his breath sped back up as his lungs both tried to suck in air and force back out at the same time. His mind spun and he clenched his fists behind his back and closed his eyes tight.

Then a thought hit him like a bolt. Peter had gone with Jeff, he had gotten out of here. Immediately, breathing became a little easier. It still wasn't easy by any means because he still didn't know exactly where his son was but at least when the concert started back up, he wouldn't be here. Tony relatively relaxed again. They would get out of here, now he just needed to stay alive long enough to make it. Still, that little doubting voice in the back of his mind couldn't help but take a jab, reminding him that Peter was on his own with men who wanted nothing more than to know who he was.

* * *

Peter sat silently in his back corner of the room and watched as four men rotated through the room on what he assumed were six hour shifts, he could kind of see the screens over their shoulder but it was difficult to make out specifics given how far away he was sitting. Still, he listened to their conversations when they thought he was sleeping and he answered any of the few questions that they asked him. They fed him and for the most part, left him completely alone. Something Peter preferred. Stewing in his guilt and fear really was better for sharpening his senses.

He caught glimpses of the screen that showed the camera in his dad's room but he could only see the flashing lights and he again nearly lost the little that was in his stomach when he realized they were doing that light and sound thing again. He shivered as he remembered the pain that caused and he couldn't help but curl farther under the blanket Jeff had given him at some point.

Peter had managed to doze off for a bit before the door opened and Danny stepped into the room. Quickly rotating through the other three, he realized this must have been a new day. He sat through another rotating group of men until finally Jeff stepped back into the room.

"Hey Pete," the man offered in a friendly tone, even as the unsure expression on his face gave away his awkwardness, "how're you feeling?"

Peter forced his voice to shake a bit when he answered, "Be-better, thank you."

"You're welcome," Jeff answered before hesitantly taking a step toward the screens.

Peter assumed this was his chance. His voice wavered as he quietly asked, "Wha…why are you doing this?"

Jeff turned around surprised, "You remembered?"

Peter just nodded as he waited for an answer, unconsciously tugging the blanket tighter against his chest. But when Jeff stepped back up to him and crouched down to meet his eyes, he dropped them to the floor next to Jeff's knee. He needed to look weak. In response, Jeff laid his hand on Peter's shoulder and it took everything he had left to avoid pulling away. There was a pregnant pause as Peter held his breath hoping that this was what they needed.

Jeff took in the tired kid before him and felt a wave of regret sweep through him. Unable to meet Peter's eye, Jeff dropped his head to his chest, before he finally asked, "Do you realize how far your dad would go to save you?"

Peter's mind froze at the question and he had to force himself to avoid flicking his eyes up to the screens just over Jeff's shoulder. Then he tried to answer but all that came out was a muted nod. He could only hope that Jeff took it as a painful reminder and not an admission of the internal torment that was trying to pull him apart.

Jeff didn't seem to suspect anything because he just met Peter's eyes and smiled sadly before he continued, "You probably don't even realize how far your dad would go to protect you."

Peter couldn't fight back the tears that started to roll down his cheeks but he forced himself to remain quiet. When Jeff didn't get a vocal reaction, he continued, "I have a little girl who is very sick and she needs something your boss has but hasn't sold to the general public. Something that could help her, something that could save her. This is the only way I have to get what she needs."

Peter nodded carefully while he let the tears continue to fall, and he couldn't help himself but sincerely whisper, "I'm sorry."

"So am I." Jeff answered, his tone carried a powerful, if silent, innuendo.

Then Peter tried to push whatever this connection was, maybe this would be easier than he thought. His tears were still falling but he sat up just a bit higher as he leaned toward Jeff, and hopefully said, "I'm sure Mr. Stark would let you use the technology if you just told him what was going on. I think he would be okay with it."

Unfortunately, he saw Jeff's expression harden when he shot back, "You have too much faith in humanity, Pete. But it doesn't matter, I need more than just that technology now." He shook his head to dismiss Peter's idea.

But Peter could not help but grasp the thin sliver of hope he had that he had a way to get them out and he pressed it, "Why though? You could just let us go and then he can help your daughter."

Unfortunately, that was the farthest Jeff was willing to go. He stood abruptly as he dismissed Peter's suggestion, "This has gone a bit too far Pete, that's all you're getting, now stop pressing." He stepped away from him and sat down at the chair before turning his back to Peter.

Peter slumped back onto his cot and pulled the blanket over his head as he sobbed into his arm, all the while biting his lip in an effort to stay quiet. He remembered the rule about not bothering anyone and given what he had just been able to glean, he wasn't sure how forgiving Jeff would be if he was annoying now.

* * *

They sat in silence for six hours. Each obviously knew the other was there but a pall hung over the room as both settled into some kind of silent cold war. Peter only felt the tension release from the room as the next person in the rotation knocked on the door in the rhythmical knock Peter had learned to identify with Danny. Jeff seemed to feel it too because he spun as soon as he heard the first rap and was at the door by the end of it. Danny stepped inside and narrowed his eyes at Jeff but didn't say anything. They whispered to each other, a conversation Peter normally listened to but that he didn't have the energy to catch.

As Jeff stepped passed Peter's cot, he decided to test his luck just a little more, "Can I try to talk to him?" Peter asked carefully, raising his voice to catch Jeff's attention. When the man slowed his step, Peter pressed, "I can't imagine he likes you much. Maybe I can ask him for what you want?" He really just wanted to get back into the room but it also wouldn't help to prove that he could be useful too.

Jeff narrowed his eyes in the teenager's direction, his voice hard as he tried to figure out if Peter was trying to get something more, "And why would you want to do that?"

Peter's face fell, emphasizing the bags under his eyes, and he answered earnestly, "I want to go home." He willed Jeff to understand the truth in that statement before he continued, "I'm realizing that the only way you're going to let me go is if I help you get what you want. So, can you please let me try to talk to him?" He again forced his voice into a whine and managed to make his eyes water as he implored Jeff to believe his faked honesty.

Jeff stared at him for a moment longer as he tried to figure out what the kid was playing at, still, he seemed sincere enough. Jeff sighed as he pulled the keys out of his pocket again and slipped the key in the cuff, "Let's go, Pete but I'm watching you."

As the first cuff fell away, Danny stepped toward the pair, "Boss?" He asked carefully.

"Yah Danny?" Jeff answered in a tone that often allowed for no argument.

"Are you taking the kid somewhere?" Danny questioned.

Jeff snapped the cuff from the bed around Peter's wrist as he put his hand heavily on his shoulder, but he addressed Danny, "You heard what he said." He answered threateningly before easing his tone as he continued, "We're going to have a conversation with Stark. He seems to think he can be more convincing than we can."

* * *

Peter walked as slowly as he could back toward the room without it seeming suspicious. He wanted to make sure that he would be able to make this trip on his own but at the same time, he was trying to get his bearing for the rest of the area. From what he could tell on the control room cameras, there were four other rooms in what he was assuming was some kind of warehouse. Two of them seemed to be some kind of living quarters, one was where Tony was being held and the fourth looked like some kind of storage. The problem was, the screens that held what seemed like hallways were too far away from him when he was handcuffed to the bed for him to make out any type of discerning marks or elements, so he wasn't sure how each of the pieces fit together. The slower he walked, the more he was trying to listen in to the rest of the complex as a way to get a clearer picture of what was going on. It unfortunately wasn't working. Instead he was getting silence from the majority of the space but the longer he dwelled on that, he realized it also could mean that there was no one else there. He had continuously seen four people and if there were others, he should have been able to hear them moving. Since he couldn't, he felt a glimmer of hope. He might be able to explore the area a bit more freely if he could just figure out a way to get a little time to himself because he knew he only needed to look out for four people. Still that was assuming their captors would leave him alone for more than a few minutes at a time.

As his mind circled around his plans, a small, frightened voice in the back of his mind started to grow louder as they stepped closer to the holding cell. His dad was small on the screens but he also knew that they had been hurting him in the time he was gone and there was an increasingly vocal part of him that was terrified at what he was going to see. A part of him that was doubting whether he would be able to keep it together when they did finally make it into the room.

* * *

When he finally stepped into the room his eyes were immediately drawn to the man in the center. Tony looked terrible. His face was nearly unrecognizable, as swollen as it was, and the blood that had splattered his shirt was various layers of dried and matched the layers of stickiness that was spread across his temple and cheek. Peter couldn't help it as he hiccuped a sob and tried to cover it with an arm across his mouth and a half-way believable cough. He hadn't looked like that when he had left, that meant he had been beaten since Peter had been out of the room. That somehow hurt worse than anything else. At least the last time Peter had been with him. His dad had been on his own for the last few days and Peter felt that distinct acidic burn of guilt settle on his mind. He needed to get them out.

Looking over at Jeff, he waited for the man to throw his hand forward in a silent invitation and Peter took the cue willingly, carefully kneeling down in front of his dad. He wanted so badly to just give him a hug but he knew he couldn't, it would be too weird. So instead, he scooted as close as he could and whispered, "Mr. Stark?" He knew Jeff was standing behind him and he knew that Danny was somewhere in the room too.

"Mr. Stark?" Peter tried again, wincing when the man slowly groaned. He pressed harder, "Mr. Stark, I need you to wake up now. Jeff needs me to talk to you about something."

"P't'…" Tony groaned as he tried to respond.

Peter sniffled back tears, "Yah, it's me." He knew he needed to be careful, so he spoke a little louder, "Mr. Stark, Jeff told me that he'll let us go if you give him what he wants."

"Waz tha'?" Tony slurred before he blinked a few times, the action seemingly gave him a bit more focus, "Whaz he want?" It was closer to coherent English anyway.

Peter glanced back at Jeff as an invitation to remind Tony what it was they needed.

Jeff took a half a step forward and repeated, "Your nanotech, reconstructive technology, and Spider-Man's identity. Jesus, I thought you were supposed to be smart."

Peter shot a look of distain over his shoulder but kept his mouth shut, getting into a fight was not what he had been trying to do with this. Instead, he focused on Tony again, "That's all it is, Mr. Stark." He paused as he added some of the information he had been able to get for good measure, "He's just trying to save his daughter." His voice cracked slightly as he remembered their earlier conversation.

Tony managed to look up at him and Peter knew what his answer was going to be before he said it, the realization nearly crushed him where he sat. Tony raised his head far enough to look Peter in the eye and whisper, "I can't, Peter." It was an apology and it made Peter want to scream. Instead he just dropped his head into his cuffed hands to hide the tears that were welling in his eyes. He felt Jeff step up behind him but he just didn't have the energy to deal with it.

Jeff stared between the kid and Stark for a moment before he yanked up hard on Peter's arm, he had given the teenager way too much leverage and he was beginning to realize this had been a waste of time, "Let's go Pete, you're not getting anything out of him. Looks like you'll just have to wait a bit longer before you can go home." Without another word to Stark, he dragged Peter toward the door.

* * *

The world crashed down on his head and all he could do was stare at his dad as he was dragged out of the room. Jeff had a death grip on his arm that probably would have hurt if he had been anyone else and he pulled him with a strength that Peter could have easily resisted but the apology he had seen in his dad's eyes had crushed him. He had been saying goodbye. He didn't think he would be getting out of this one. Then the stupid voice in the back of his mind twisted the expression. His dad didn't think Peter would be able to get them out. Didn't think he would be clever enough to find a way to free them before they were both killed. The walk back to the monitor room was a daze and Peter couldn't concentrate on the world around him. He allowed his arms to be manipulated as he was handcuffed back to the bed and without comment, he crawled under the blanket and curled up to cry.

Jeff felt bad for the kid. He dropped his hand onto Peter's head and whispered, "I'm sorry, Pete." Then he stood and left Peter in the room with Danny.

* * *

Peter had eventually stopped crying. Tears were useless. He needed to do something so he buried everything, the guilt, the tears, the pain, everything, and he resolved to stay alert until he found a way out.

It was at some point during Rick's shift that the man left to go to the bathroom, or do something. Peter didn't really care because it meant Rick must have thought Peter was asleep, they never left when he was awake. This was his chance. Peter knew he needed to get a closer look. He slipped his hand out of the cuff, careful to let the metal cut him pretty badly as he did it, explaining how he had gotten out of the cuffs would be a bit easier if he could prove he bled for it.

He crept up to the screens. It took him only a moment to get his bearings, even if he carefully avoided the middle screen while he did it. The facility looked a little bigger than he had initially thought. There was another room he had missed before but there wasn't much in it, just a few boxes and odds and ends but nothing he could use. He moved on from there, his eyes raking across the rooms the men had been sleeping in and the storage room. Unfortunately, the cameras were placed in a relatively inward looking direction and he had a hard time figuring out how the hallways were organized. He did find a staircase though. He watched one of the men, it looked like Brad, moving through the hallways toward one of the rooms, something that was infinitely more useful because it at least gave him an idea of how a few of the rooms were connected. It wasn't quite a map but it was something. He studied the videos for a few more minutes but he was so engrossed in what he was doing that he missed the door opening behind him. It was only when he heard a voice that he realized his mistake.

"What are you doing, Pete?" The smooth, suspicious voice intoned behind him, scaring him away from his study of the screens.

"I…I was just looking." Peter finished lamely, he had every intention of coming up with a lie but he got so caught up in figuring out the problem, that he ran out of time.

"Which is something you're not supposed to be doing." Jeff started as he stalked toward Peter and grabbed ahold of one of his arms, yanking him away from the screens.

Peter almost fought him off, almost threw him across the room, instead he controlled his strength and allowed himself to be dragged down the hallway toward where he knew he dad was. He couldn't help but feel a crushing defeat as he realized he had not learned nearly as much as he needed to in order to get them out. Instead, he was going back to square one only now he had lost Jeff's trust. Inwardly cursing his stupidity and his senses, he went almost limp in Jeff's grasp.

The door to the holding room swung open as Jeff put his shoulder into the shove and he grabbed the chair out of the corner. Dragging the chair and Peter, Jeff slammed the compliant teenager back into the chair and roughly snapped a new set of handcuffs around his wrists before he stood up with a snarl. "Don't expect any more leniency Pete, you're stuck in here with Stark for however long this lasts." Snarling aggressively, he leaned down into Peter's face, "I would start trying to convince him that his only real option is to start giving me what I want. Without that, you're never going home."

* * *

Tony's attention immediately snapped to the door as it was thrown open. It was a little too early for them to come back in. Then Jeff appeared and Tony's heart leapt into his throat as he dragged Peter in behind him. He stayed silent as Jeff cuffed Peter back to the chair next to him and watched as Jeff growled threats at his kid. He somehow managed to hold his tongue while Jeff taunted Peter. Then the man looked over at him, spitting, "He's your problem now, Stark." He turned and stalked back out of the room.

Tony glanced over at Peter and gave him a sad smile, trying desperately to ignore the stab of relief that coursed through him at finally knowing where his son was. It was a selfish relief and he hated it. But Peter returned the smile, happy to at least be able to be there. They would just have to find another way out.

* * *

 **So there you have it! Another chapter down. I hope it was what you were hoping for and as always, feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.**

 **I hope you have a wonderful day/night and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone!**

 **Thank you again to all of my awesome readers, I know I've said this before but it really does mean a lot to read reviews and know that someone is getting as much enjoyment out of my story as I'm getting writing it, even for as sad as it can be at times.**

 **I really appreciate the comments so I again wanted to say thank you to Indigene Sky, perplexion08, and skydancer121. You guys are so awesome!**

 **This chapter is a bit longer but I was having a hard time finding a natural breaking point so I figured I would just post it.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"There's only four of them," Peter whispered as he glanced conspiratorially over at Tony.

Tony winced as he tried to understand what Peter was saying. When he couldn't quite parse it out, he whispered, "You gotta talk louder, Pete. I can't hear you. Ears." He carefully tipped his head from side to side to indicate his problem. His ears had been ringing for the last few days and he could barely hear anything Peter was saying.

Peter couldn't help but hiccup a sob at the answer and he carefully glanced over at his dad to help deal with some of the distance. He spoke a little louder and enunciated, "There are only four of them here. Jeff's the leader, Danny's his number two, and the ones who keep hitting you are Rick and Brad. At least that's what they call themselves." Peter shrugged noncommittally and because he was hoping to get some of his dad's input.

"Tha's good, Pete." Tony answered with a small, exhausted smile but he didn't ask any questions.

Peter's voice wavered as he realized that Tony didn't have the strength to ask anything. In an effort to deal with that realization and his own nerves, Peter just kept talking, "There are a few other storage spaces too. I'm not sure how helpful they'll be but they're there…" Peter trailed off, waiting to see if that caught Tony's attention. When his dad still didn't say anything, Peter just kept going, "I think they might end up being useful for something..." Peter started before Tony cut in.

Tony was having trouble focusing fully on what Peter was saying, he was trying but concentration when your brain is attempting to escape your ears is not really conducive to focused study. It took him a moment to realize what Peter said so he interrupted as he recognized it, "Storage room?"

Peter thought it was a little weird but he was thankful that Tony was at least talking, so he nodded, "Yah, it was kind of hard to tell exactly where it was but it one of the rooms they have cameras in for some reason."

"I bet that's where my suit is." Tony mused almost to himself.

But to himself with a son who has superhuman hearing became just not to the cameras, "What do you mean, where's your suit?" Peter asked quietly, fear peppering his words.

Tony looked over at him, the lack of analysis from Peter worrying him, "You didn't think I was waiting for something, did you?" He asked incredulously, his voice a little sharper than he had intended.

Peter's eyes widened at the his stupid oversight, "To be honest, I hadn't thought about it," Peter answered, embarrassed. Then he felt that familiar feeling of panic slip back down his spine as he hurriedly whispered, "What happened to it?"

It was Tony's turn to look sheepish, "They cut the housing away after they dragged us into that van." Then his expression turned deadly serious, "Trust me, if I had my suit, they'd be dead."

Peter shivered. He hadn't known that and for some reason that added another layer of despair to their situation. But it was more than just that, the honesty and implication in Tony's voice scared him because it was resolved. It was less about what he said and more about the way he said it, Tony only ever got like this when someone he loved was threatened and Peter could not help but worry about how far he would go to protect him. An almost palpable tension settled over the room, so Peter tried to redirect the conversation, "I could get your suit and then we could get out of here. There's only ever three of them up at a time, so I can take them out, grab your nanobot storage, and we can leave, I found…"

But Tony was shaking his head before Peter finished his statement, the action rattling his bruised brain and causing more pain and ringing. Still his voice was somehow clearer, "No, Pete. If there are cameras, there's no way you can get there, find it, and get back before someone finds you. And what happens then, how do you explain your escape?" Tony paused and waited for an answer but when one was not forthcoming, he lowered his voice impossibly quiet again, "They want Spider-Man. If you do that they'll be a step closer to knowing who he is." Tony met Peter's eye, willing him to understand, and then he continued, "They'll hurt you if they find out." Tony spoke in a harsh whisper, willing Peter to understand why he could not let him get them out.

"Mr. Stark," Peter pressed, his voice a little louder, "I'm fast enough, you know I am, I could do it." Peter retorted earnestly.

"No," Tony snapped, fear ringing clearly in his tone, "You're not allowed. We'll wait for the others, they'll find us."

But Peter was not giving up that easily, he was starting to get angry, his voice raising a few octaves as he let his dad know it, "They've had almost a week. We can't keep waiting, you can't keep doing this!" He leaned toward Tony as far as he could and hissed his next response, "He hates you. You're alive 'cause he wants something and no other reason."

"And that's exactly why you're not goin' to do anything. They'll keep me alive until the others find us," he cocked his eyebrow when he saw Peter perk up to protest and pressed forward before he could say anything. "No. Don't say anything, the adult is talking now," he snapped, fear driving his orders. "They're staying away from you. They're focused on me and I can handle it. If there's even a chance they'll find out who you are, you need to not do that thing."

Peter opened his mouth to retort but Tony cut him off with a glared and a hiss, "No, Peter."

But Peter wasn't done, his own terror urging him on, "I'm sick of them hurting you. Not when I can," he felt the tears spring to his eyes as he involuntarily hiccuped, "Not when I can do something about it. Please let me." He begged.

"No. That's it. End of discussion." Tony barked before turning toward the door, ending any conversation.

"That's not it this time," Peter retorted, his voice furious, "Its not the end of the discussion. I'm not a kid anymore, so you can't just say that. I'm here, with you. I'm the one that has to watch this happen so you can't even say that this is just affecting you. I want you out of here. I want you safe."

Tony's own anger flashed passed the pain, as he turned bodily back toward his insolent son. His voice betrayed his frustration but what he said highlighted his fear, "And I'm the one they're focused on, if you do anything like that, they'll notice you. I don't want them paying attention to you. So leave it. I'm not having the conversation. You're my son and until you stop calling me dad, you have to listen to me." It was a weak argument but Tony was having trouble thinking of anything else.

Peter heard the desperation in his dad's voice and snarled at the comment, "Fine," he snapped, "But if this gets worse, I'm not asking next time." He slumped back into his seat with a _humph_ , annoyed at the way the conversation had gone but when Tony didn't say anything else, he assumed they had come to an uneasy agreement.

Tony's chest clenched as he realized there was little he could do to keep Peter from doing exactly what he just said he would do. He wanted these people to stay away from his son and he knew the others would find them, he just had to hold out until the other Avengers got there. FRIDAY would have sent an alert so it was just a matter of time. He tried not to think about why it was taking so long.

* * *

Jeff sent Rick back to his room, told him that he would deal with the rest of his shift. He knew he only had about half an hour before Danny showed up. But in all honesty, he just wanted to sit and think.

He was staring unseeing at the screens in front of him when Danny arrived for his shift.

The knock caught his attention but he didn't turn until the door snapped closed behind him. When he finally turned, he caught to look of mild surprise on Danny's face but before he could say anything, the man asked, "Boss? What're you doing here?"

Jeff sighed and filled him in, anger at the situation driving him to his feet as he tried to explain his frustration and anger to his sniper. The story didn't take long to tell but once he was done he was simmering with rage. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Danny was much calmer.

Danny looked his boss up and down for a moment and considered what he had told him, before he said, "Did you really think he was indifferent? I mean, come on, boss, he's a kid and the only person he knows in this situation is Stark. You had to know that he didn't really trust you."

Jeff turned, still seething with indiscriminate rage until the words sank in and his expression fell. Huffing his shoulders into a slump, his response was colored by defeat, "I know." He sighed, "I just felt bad for him. He's just a kid. And we're putting him in a situation he has no business being in and now I can't even trust him enough to give him an out for the worst of it." He flipped the chair from in front of the monitors around and slipped into it, running his hands agitatedly through his hair.

Danny looked hard at the man in front of him but didn't have much to offer in way of advice. Instead, he glanced behind him and grabbed ahold of one of the extra chairs in the room. He dragged it over backward and sat down in front of Jeff, dropping his head onto his folded hands on the back of the chair. Still, he didn't say anything.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound was the muffled voices of their two prisoners from the headphones on the console but the volume was too low to make out what they were saying. Instead, Jeff looked hard at Danny, "Why is this taking so long? Why the hell hasn't he given us what we want?"

Danny glanced up and met Jeff's eyes, "He's got something else he cares about more and he's not going to give you what you want until you figure out what it is. That's it. We thought it would be the pain but obviously giving in would exact a higher price." Danny paused as he took a second to think, "Maybe he's a bit more without that suit than we thought."

Jeff glared at him but didn't say anything.

Danny just shrugged and continued, "It doesn't get you want you want to underestimate him now. You know I'm right so instead of pouting about it, you better start finding another way to go at him." He didn't break the staring contest.

Jeff continued to glare but lost the high ground and after a few moments flicked his eyes to the feet of Danny's chair, sighing heavily, "Yah I know."

Silence dropped over the two again as Jeff glanced back at the screen. Peter and Stark were sitting silently too, in fact Stark looked like he was asleep, so Jeff let his attention drift back to the man in front of him. After a few minutes, he glanced back up at Danny, "Alyssa called today. She said Bella's getting worse." Tears pricked his eyes as he remembered the conversation that had woken him in the middle of his down time. He still heard the choking sadness in his wife's voice as she asked him when he was going to be able to come home. And then he turned back to the screen again and anger twisted through the agony in his mind. Stark was still alive, they were five days in and he didn't have what he needed and Stark was still alive. He looked at Danny, "What do you think I should do?"

Danny thought for a moment, his head still resting nonchalantly on his crossed arms. Once he had a formed suggestion, he lifted his head off his arms and his eyes held that steely look that Jeff had long ago come to associate with the sniper in him. The fortitude in his expression matched his eyes when he answered, "Let him know you have nothing to lose. Threaten his wife. Tell him that if he doesn't give you what you want you'll bring her to him. Tell him you'll go after his driver or someone else he cares about. Ultimately, you need to redirect him because he doesn't care enough about himself to give up the information you need." He paused for just a moment as he let that sink in, then he continued, "And we should think about getting rid of that kid. The longer we keep him here, the more of a liability he is."

"I know," Jeff sighed, "But we can't just let him go." He scrubbed his hands against his face before running them through his hair again.

Danny knew what that meant and vocalized it, "Then he's here because you can't bring yourself to kill him yet."

Jeff looked up at him with a tortured expression, his hair sticking up at odd angles from the continuous fidgeting, but he answered, "Yah. I know I'll need to but I have to deal with the most important stuff first. We'll break Stark, then once we get what we want, we'll deal with the kid." His voice was resigned but assured.

The weight of the implications strangled the conversation into silence.

Eventually, Jeff looked back up, "Danny, you might as well get some sleep, I'll take your shift. I'm not sleeping at all tonight anyway."

"You sure?" Danny asked as he narrowed his eyes at Jeff's reasons.

"Yah I need to come up with a way to deal with him." Jeff answered, even while the real reason for his insomnia hung over the pair. Danny stayed for a bit, watching the screens as their captives slept uncomfortably in the chairs but when Jeff didn't say anything else, he left his boss to stew.

* * *

Jeff sat and stared hard at Stark, like he could divine the answers from watching the man sleep uncomfortably slumped in the chair. But the longer he sat, the less control he felt. He was so tired of being a pawn, so tired of everyone else deciding his fate. He took another drag on his beer, trying to calm his nerves or dull his mind he wasn't sure but in either case, it wasn't working. Instead, he slipped closer into the vortex of his thoughts. He was circling insanity. Twisting in the tearing and competing winds without any way to pull him out of it and at every point when he managed to come up for air, Stark was right in front of him. Stark was the reason he had no control. He was the reason he had to do all this. He was making decisions for everyone around him. He was the reason why Jeff was going to be forced to kill a teenager. He was the reason why that same kid was suffering even now. Jeff's thoughts twisted in that direction for the entirety of the shift as that vortex turned from water to blood. He was going to get what he wanted, one way or the other.

The end of his shift came too quickly. It was heralded by Danny's knock before the door opened with a quiet snap. Jeff didn't get out of his seat, just chucked the empty bottle into a pile he had created in the corner of the room. Danny stepped up to his side and leaned on the console, "Boss, you look like shit. Maybe you should try to get some sleep."

"No, I'm gonna deal with Stark now." Jeff snapped as he smoothly stood and headed purposely toward the door. But before he could make it, Danny called out to him, "Go clean your face and change."

Jeff turned on his heel and almost reprimanded him but stopped short when he realized he was right. His bluster softened before he responded, "You're right. Meet me at the room." Then he took off toward the door. It only took about five minutes but Jeff had to admit he felt more in control. The rage and the frustration simmered just under the surface but his expression was schooled. He saw Danny in front of the door and squared his shoulders before they entered.

* * *

Peter heard the key grate in the lock but he was so tired he couldn't lift his head. He had tried to sleep but he was still angry from the fight and frustrated at his inability to get them out. Still that didn't stop the events at hand and his heart dropped when the door swung open and he unconsciously turned his eyes up to see Jeff and Danny. He wasn't sure why but Jeff's expression terrified him farther. It was like an unbridled storm contained by a thin layer of control but the lightning was already crackling at the edges. Peter immediately had to squash the terror that almost made him want to scream. The lightning was electrifying the air in the room, suppressing his ability to take in a full breath for fear of it electrocuting him. Peter wanted to scream, to break his handcuffs, to escape but he forced himself to listen to what his dad said, to pretend to be the weak teenager everyone always assumed his was. He sucked in a breath and held it as he waited for the storm to break. Needing to do something, he glanced over at his dad and carefully kicked his chair, "Mr. Stark," he said quietly. The man jerked awake, his eyes blinking owlishly toward Peter who just inclined his head toward their seething company.

Jeff ignored Peter. He could feel the kid's eyes on him but his gaze was fixed solely on the slowly waking Stark, it was time for him to get what he wanted, then he could deal with the teenager. Jeff stalked toward Tony and leaned down into his face, hissing with rage. "Listen to me Stark," he started before he smacked Tony hard, forcing him to clarify his gaze. When he met Jeff's gaze with his own contained rage, Jeff continued, "I want you to understand how serious I am when I tell you this. You're going to give me what I want but because you obviously don't care enough about yourself, I'm going to have to come up with a new way to convince you." He glanced back at Danny before he continued, "So I've been thinking that Ms. Potts might be appropriate motivation. Do you think you would be as quiet if she was in your position?"

Tony unconsciously sat up higher at that, he couldn't hide the fear that the threat caused to flash across his face even though he knew Pepper would be at the Compound. His mind immediately slipped to the protocol they had set up after Thanos. He had even made sure to set everything up so she wouldn't have to leave if anything ever went wrong again. The signal was if Tony ever went missing. And given what happened last time, he had no doubt that's where she would be. Still he wasn't about to tell them that she was in probably the most secured place in the world, so he forced himself to cover the fear with a laugh, "Good luck with that," he scoffed.

"I got you, didn't I?" Jeff asked with a snarl, angry at the provocation and continued arrogance from the man who should be submissive.

Tony smirked the best he could and continued to goad him, "Yah you did, congratulations." His voice dripped with a sarcasm and confidence he didn't really feel but when he thought about the danger Peter was still in, he kept pressing Jeff's buttons, "But you're imagining that you're going to be able to find her after you've already taken me. If that's your plan, I'd rethink it." He saw how angry Jeff was getting and he continued, knowing that if he could piss Jeff off enough, he wouldn't even think about Peter. His voice lowered, unconsciously drawing Jeff closer, and he hissed, "because without a better plan, it'll just be easier to kill me and save yourself a lot of trouble."

Jeff's eyes narrowed as he glowered at Tony, "Your business secrets are worth your and your wife's lives?"

Tony stared back, his gaze hard and unflinching, "Well considering you'll never find her, my life is worth every penny of it."

Jeff snapped, "Fine, then I guess I'll have to get as much enjoyment out of this as I can," he snarled before he quickly reared back and kicked his foot out, catching Tony high in the chest and with enough force for the chair to tip just past the balance point. Without a way to brace himself, his head connected solidly with the concrete floor beneath him, making a muffled thump as it bounced.

Fear finally took over when Jeff attacked him. Tony realized he might have miscalculated and as his head bounced off the concrete floor, he fought to stay awake, fought to avoid giving this prick what he wanted. Then he heard Peter scream and his heart broke. His son was dealing with enough as it was and he was going to watch him beaten, again. Terror joined the heartbreak as he realized this might be the thing that forced Peter to try to escape. He prayed it wouldn't be.

Peter could see Jeff's façade breaking with his dad's continued provoking and with every word, he could found his own apprehension become harder to control. As he watched the exchange, he unconsciously sucked in a deep breath and held it, trying to calm his racing mind. The world was about to break around them and his heart sped up with the thought of the possible consequences. Then Tony told Jeff it would be easier to kill him. The façade shattered and Peter watched the exchange in horror and couldn't help but react when he heard Tony's head connect with the floor, "No, don't!" he yelled. But no one was listening to him. Talking was a reflex though, one he had contained for too long for this to be okay, "Stop! Please!" He begged but Jeff's full attention was on Tony.

Jeff snarled down at the man on the floor, "Don't ask for something you're not sure you want." He brought his foot down into the middle of Tony's chest. A sharp snapping sound echoed through the room as at least one rib gave way under the pressure, followed quickly by a choking cry. Jeff felt control returning even while his anger and frustration drove him closer to lunacy disguised as control. His gaze narrowed on Tony. "You arrogant prick," Jeff spat, kicking Tony hard in the side to a vocal groan, "you think you get to decide what everyone else gets. That you are somehow better than the rest of us. You're going to give me what I want." He stomped down again onto Tony's chest, earning another sharp snap and a breathless scream for his efforts. Jeff couldn't help the smile that crept across his face, this was what the man who was killing his daughter deserved. It was even more gratifying when he heard that damned kid in the background, telling him to stop, that he was going to hurt Stark. He snarled back at Peter, "Of course I am." Then he drove his foot again into Tony chest. He could hear the man wheezing and gasping so he did it again. This time though, Stark choked on his scream, gagged on his spit, and struggled to pull in another breath. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew this was stupid but then he kicked Stark hard in the side and he felt a little better.

The foot to his chest made Tony's heart skip a beat as a rib gave way in his chest, followed closely by a scream he couldn't prevent. Panic joined the swirling emotions in his mind as he saw the rabid look in Jeff's eyes, Peter had been right, this man wanted to kill him and he realized that could be the outcome of this attack. His panic took over and he was looking for an out, his eyes flicking over everything before eventually landing on Peter. He was tipping back in his seat. Tony saw the fear there, heard it as he screamed. And while it should have scared him more, for a moment, Tony felt calm, at least it was him. Then Jeff snarled in his face and Tony was forced to pay attention as pain exploded in his chest again. It was followed by a heavy pressure, like someone was sitting on his chest, keeping him from taking a breath. His overactive mind immediately informed him that his lungs were refusing to expand, he was suffocating. Intense sadness slipped through his mind as his body reacted to the lack of oxygen. He thought of Peter and Pepper before his mind started to float at the edges.

Peter craned back in his seat so he could see his dad struggling the best he could against the blows. But his hands were pinned under him and his eyes were darting even as he twisted his head, trying to escape the pain or find a way out, Peter wasn't sure but the snapping sound of another bone was impossible to miss. "Stop! Please, stop. You're gonna kill him!" Peter felt tears prick his eyes as he pulled at the handcuffs, ignoring the way the metal was starting to weaken from even his controlled strength. At one point Jeff snarled something in his direction but he couldn't comprehend it because Tony start to choke. He was having trouble getting in a breath as Jeff slammed his foot down onto his chest again. Peter felt the metal weakening farther as he slipped closer toward uncontrollable panic, "You're killing him! Stop it! Stop!" Then Jeff switched and slammed the top of his foot into Tony's unprotected side. Peter could hear his dad trying desperately to take in a full breath and it wasn't coming, instead he was making this odd gurgling sound, his body bucking involuntarily against the chair. Peter knew beyond a doubt if that continued, his dad was going to die. He couldn't stop the tears that started to fall and his voice rose a few octaves as he desperately tried to get someone to listen to him, "Look at him, please look at him! Stop!"

Then Peter heard the choking sobs gurgle to a stop and he lost the little control he had left, he screamed, "Stop! He's dying! Stop, please!" But Jeff didn't listen, just slammed his foot into Tony's side again. The cuffs finally gave way against the strain and Peter pulled his hands into his lap a split second before he screamed, "Dad!" and darted from his seat, slamming into Tony's chair and flipping him none-too-gently onto his side. It wasn't pretty but the action was enough to get Tony to cough up the bloody phlegm he was choking on. Peter reached over the chair and carefully held Tony's head so he could cough because after that initial bout, he didn't have the energy to hold his head up. Peter leaned down carefully, making sure his dad was still breathing and the painful pressure on his chest released slightly when Tony sucked in a wavering breath. But Peter didn't realize that all the movement in the room had stopped. He was so focused on whispering to his dad, that he didn't catch Jeff step up behind him, a twisted look of rage complementing his seething gaze.

Jeff's voice was low when he finally spoke, "What did you just say?" He demanded as he grabbed Peter's arm and yanked him away from Tony. He obviously had heard what Peter said but it was still difficult for him to reconcile it.

Peter realized his mistake and immediately snapped his mouth shut, even as tears continued to roll down his cheeks and he gaze flicked back toward his dad. He almost recoiled when Jeff leaned down onto his face and spat, "You little shit."

Then Jeff abruptly let go and stepped away, his hands slipping into his hair. "Goddammit," he cursed as he turned to Danny. Looking his man in the eye, he continued, "goddammit, I knew there was something wrong with this damn kid. Shit." Danny had stepped forward in surprise and, as Jeff spat obscenities indiscriminately, he flicked his hand across his shoulder. Jeff seemed to get the expression or the permission and he spun quickly, slamming his fist into Peter's face.

Peter could handle being attacked and recover pretty quickly but his spider senses had been so on edge for so long and he was watching Tony, so he was not able to brace himself and the fist caught him by surprise. His head snapped painfully as the hit connected and he felt stars explode behind his eyes at the power behind the blow, "Wh-what?"

Then Jeff stepped into his face again, snarling, "I knew you weren't just an intern, but his son?" He glanced back at where Tony was drooling blood onto the floor, "I guess you do kind of look like him…" Then he turned threateningly back to Peter, "You're an ungrateful little bastard, you know that?" He slammed his fist into Peter's face again before roughly pulling his chin back to force him to focus, before he spat, "Things are about to get much worse for you and your father." As he stared hard at Peter his mind spun over the new information and he smiled sickly when he realized it had ultimately been a good idea to keep the kid around. Calling over his shoulder, he ordered, "Uncuff him." As Danny moved to do his boss's bidding, Jeff leaned back into Peter's face, "You're going to have some time to talk to your _dad_ but I would make it count because once I come back in here, I'm going to make your world a living hell."

* * *

 **There you have it!**

 **I knew Jeff had to find out eventually and I was trying to come up with a way that would be through desperation and stress because Tony and Peter are both too smart for it to just happen. I hope what I wrote made sense.**

 **Let me know what you think and as always, I hope you have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again everyone!**

 **So I know its a little earlier than normal but I kind of got on a roll and didn't want to stop so I have another chapter for you. Thank you again for everyone who has followed/favorited and commented, it means a lot!**

 **And because I want to make sure I'm saying thanks, thank you Indigene Syke (Peter definitely is in a bit of trouble for that one) and to HHaines (They'll show up eventually, maybe ;) )**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Peter waited with burning embarrassment as he watched Danny uncuff his dad. He had done the one thing Tony had told him not to do. He had let them know who he was in one word. And now Jeff was staring at him with visible anger. Peter watched him school his expression back into something more civilized before he growled, "You two aren't close, are you?" Peter didn't answered, couldn't answer. So Jeff kept talking as the cuffs clattered to the ground, "Cause here's what I can't figure out. What son is able to watch all that happen and not say anything? The only reason I can think of is that you two aren't very close." Peter still didn't answer because his attention was drawn to Tony's groans.

Tony teetered just on the edge of pain-induced unconsciousness. He felt someone tugging aggressively at the handcuffs before they popped and fell away. The freedom pulled him closer to awareness and he heard someone talking but it wasn't Peter. He groaned again as he began to realize just how much pain he was in. His ears were buzzing, his brain felt like it was mush, and his chest was on fire but at least he was with it enough to know there were still others in the room. Then he realized his left arm was numb and he groaned to himself again, this was just an inconvenient time.

Peter watched his dad's mild awareness as Danny released the cuffs but as the sniper was standing, Tony groaned again and with a viciousness Peter had not seen before, Danny kicked him hard upside the head. It ended the groaning as his body jerked and his head fell heavily against the floor again. But it was worse than that because for the first time since they had been taken, Peter's senses managed to focus. In the split second between Danny's kick and Tony's reaction, Peter heard his dad's labored heartbeat, his hesitant breaths and as the sound of the blow rattled through Peter's ears, his mind turned to altogether more violent ends. Snarling at the treatment, he spun away from Jeff and lunged toward Danny. His fist connected solidly with Danny's cheek. It was not enough to kill, but hard enough to incapacitate him. The man went down hard, crumpling next to Tony. In that moment, Peter saw his opportunity to get them out. He intended to deal with Jeff next, planning on hitting him in the same way, but the man was faster than Peter had anticipated and before he could even turn and take a step, the hammer of a gun pressed back into the fire position. So when Peter spun, Jeff was standing with his gun loosely trained on Tony's head and a satisfied smile on his face, "Uh…uh…mini-Stark, try anything else and I'll make you an orphan."

Peter knew there was no way Jeff knew exactly how that statement would affect him but it didn't matter because the very real threat of losing another father was enough to make Peter freeze, almost comically. Dropping his stance, Peter's anger fled and all he was left with was fear. "Please don't…" he whimpered. He hated how weak he sounded, especially given what he had just tried to do.

Jeff cocked his head to the side and narrowed his gaze, "So you care enough for him to stay alive…" he trailed off as he tried to figure out the stupidity of this puzzle. He glanced over at Danny, "I'm impressed. It takes a lot to take him down." Without explanation, he pulled out his phone and sent out a quick text before he refocused his attention on the problem at hand. Narrowing his eyes at Peter, he spoke carefully, "You're a lot stronger than you look." But when Peter didn't respond, he shrugged, gun still pointed at Tony. Oddly, it didn't seem to be the unconscious man that bugged him because as Jeff sized him up, the seething anger in his gaze didn't dissipate but his words caught Peter off guard, "You know I actually believed you, you little shit. Here I thought you were just some teenager that happened to get caught up in all this." He smiled darkly before he continued, "I thought about letting you go, thinking you'd be worthless. Glad I didn't."

He paused for a moment as if lost in thought before he added, "Want to know the thing that really got me? That bit where he pretended he didn't know your name." Jeff laughed again, but it was more about filling the silence than mirth, "Not to mention the fact that he practically ignored you the whole time you've been here. Actually, maybe I was right before. Is this one of those situations where he didn't know you existed, so you're really just trying to figure out how to get the family money?" He watched Peter as he tried to read the expression on his face. It took a minute but he came to a decision, "No, that's not it, is it? If that's all you were, he would have given you up a while ago. So you are his kid?" Jeff huffed a shrug, "Well, then you're a good liar, Pete. But let me guess, that was his idea?" He asked as he tipped his head toward Tony, his tone sardonic and cruel.

For Peter, the question and the implication was a punch to the gut that nearly knocked the breath out of him. Jeff was right, he had let Tony take way too much punishment before he even tried to do anything, all he had done was lie. He had taken the easy way out, had allowed Tony to be hurt while he covered his cowardliness in obedience. Still, he had already screwed up enough and he didn't want to give Jeff anything else so instead, Peter glared up at him and nearly snarled but kept his mouth shut.

"Apparently, I misjudged you," Jeff snapped, "You were obviously more than taken care of even while you were in here." Then he looked down at Tony, "I guess I have to give Stark credit too, there was no way you were pulling that off without him backing you up."

Peter was not sure what he meant by that but the hungry gaze he fixed him with made him question how bad this was about to get and again his mind slipped toward escape. His eyes flicked to the unconscious Danny, if he could move quick enough, he might be able to take out Jeff before he managed to get a shot off. The problem was that given his dad's current predicament, he worried that even a flesh wound might kill him.

When the teenager didn't respond, Jeff continued, "Oh don't worry about Danny, he'll be fine. You on the other hand," he continued, his voice a cool seethe, "You're not going to leave here. Ever. The real question will be how far your father is willing to let it go before he finally tells me what I want to know. Once he does that, I can put a bullet in the back of both your heads." Jeff snarled at him again, gesturing lazily with the gun toward Tony as he pulled up a chair from the corner of the room and sat down with only a slight hitch. "Sit down, Pete," he ordered.

Peter glanced at him nervously, eyes darting between Jeff and the door, then at Danny and Tony. He had expected Jeff to leave, he was going to get them out.

Jeff noticed his obvious distress, "You didn't actually think I was going to leave, did you? I just found out something very interesting about you and I have some questions." His congenial voice hid a dangerous tone as he leaned forward onto his knees, "The first thing I need to know, where did you learn to punch like that? I would imagine that's not something they teach the normal interns." He tapped his head with the butt of his gun, before continuing, "Of course, you're not a normal intern. I nearly forgot."

Peter didn't answer, he bit his tongue to keep from responding and sat down on the ground close to Tony, his knee bumping up against Tony's where they were still bent in the chair. There was a reason Tony was reluctant to tell them the full answer and Peter knew that the others had to be on their way so he decided to just stay quiet.

Jeff stared hard at the teenager in front of him but when he refused to talk, Jeff filled in the space. "What do you know about what I want?" Still there was no response and Jeff was starting to feel that anger creeping back in. "How long have you been around? Does Ms. Potts know that her husband has a kid? Does anyone know you exist? Because I'm impressed that hasn't leaked."

Peter winced at that comment, he knew how hard Ms. Romanoff and Ms. Potts worked to keep his name out of the press and off the internet after the incident at his school. He was kind of glad to know it worked but at the same time, the implications about Tony were starting to grate. Still, he didn't say anything, he chewed on his tongue and stayed silent. He just kept glancing between Danny and his dad, waiting for the former to wake up so Jeff would leave him alone.

But Jeff was more annoyed at the silence than anything else, leaning forward again he gestured with the gun, "Listen, Pete, either you start talking or I start putting holes in your dad, starting at his legs. How long do you think it would take for him to bleed out?"

Peter snapped. He was so tired and what he thought he knew was so obviously wrong that he couldn't hold it in any longer, "Why are you doing this? I thought you wanted information? What good is threatening his life?"

Jeff just leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile, "Ah he speaks." Jeff shrugged as he continued to mess with him, "Honestly, Pete, until this point I thought I was going to have to find another way to get what I needed and had every intention of pushing him until he gave me what I wanted or died, but now I'm realizing that I just need to keep him alive long enough to see exactly how good of a son you are." He smiled wickedly but it never reached his eyes and just as quickly his voice turned serious again, "I'm done playing, I need what I need and you and your father are going to give it to me regardless of what I have to do to get it. Now…Answer. My. Questions." He growled.

Peter glanced over at Danny again, wishing he hadn't hit him as hard as he had. Then he looked back at Jeff before tucking his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He felt like crying but he fought the tears down and forced himself to look bored, burying the terror that was trying to claw its way out of his chest. Still he didn't say anything just allowed the hatred a place and fixed Jeff with a cold stare.

"Oh found some bravery did we? I didn't know stupidity ran in the family." Jeff smiled sickly at his own joke but when it didn't get a rise out of Peter, he sighed, "Fine. Who taught you to punch like that?"

Peter chewed his tongue for a moment more, glancing between the gun and Jeff's crazed expression before he decided against testing Jeff's resolve, "He did." Peter answered, tipping his head toward Tony. It had been Steve but it wasn't necessary to give him that bit of information.

"Stark did?" Jeff asked incredulously, "The man drooling on the floor taught you how to throw a punch like that."

Peter felt his anger rising again, "It's easy to ridicule someone for being weak after you've just beaten them, isn't it?" He knew he should stop but he was so sick of this so he spat, "But even you had to get rid of his suit before you could keep him in here."

Jeff tipped his head at the jest, admitting to the truth in it, "Yah but see, that's all he is. He's not the superhero, his suit is. It's admirable the way you defend him. Now that you've been caught, of course. But you have to know that he's just a man like everyone else. And he's going to die that way, after I get what I need from him of course." Without any more comment, Jeff redirected the conversation, "What do you know about what I want?"

Peter thought for a moment about what he should say. Admitting he knew most of the science behind Extremis and that he had been helping design new features for the nanotech in his own suit for the last year was an attractive option because it meant that he could give his dad a break. But he also knew that telling Jeff that would make Tony almost irrelevant and if Peter's goal was to keep him alive long enough to escape, that was not a great plan. Finally, he settled on a middle ground, "I don't know much about it," Peter lied, "he wasn't lying when he said I work on low level rockets. Propulsive technology has always been something I've been interested in and so he let me work on that. I've only ever seen the nanotech in his suits and they work on the medical tech on another floor." Well, kind of a middle ground.

Jeff took that in stride, "So he doesn't trust you much at all then?"

Peter glanced down at the floor at Jeff's feet before sheepishly whispering, "I guess not."

Jeff sneered at Peter's reluctant answer. Then Danny groaned behind Tony as he started to regain consciousness, still Jeff didn't do more than glance over Peter's shoulder, "Damn, so you're only marginally useful." Jeff shook his head before he stood abruptly and stepped over to Danny.

Peter couldn't help but think he heard some regret in his tone. Still, he watched as Jeff leaned over Danny and shook his shoulder in an attempt to get him to wake up. It mostly worked as he rolled onto his back, his hand coming up to his head as he grunted, "Wha' the hell waz that?"

Jeff smiled at the reaction, "Pete hit you. Apparently he didn't agree with how we were treating Stark."

Danny squinted up at Jeff, "The kid?"

"Yah," Jeff choked out in a laugh. "I was surprised too." He levered him up into a sitting position before getting him to his feet. Once he was standing, Jeff threw Danny's arm over his shoulder and led him to the door. He rapped his pattern and it swung open as Rick appeared in the doorway. Jeff looked back at Peter, "Don't get any ideas, Pete. I'm going to be calling in a few more guys whose sole job is going to be watching you and Stark because I don't trust you." He stepped through the doorway and Rick slammed the door shut behind them, the heavy lock sliding back into place.

As the sound died out, the air in the room became oppressive and for a moment, Peter couldn't breath. What had he done? Still, that thought only held him captive for a moment before he scrambled over to his dad. Peter wanted desperately to touch him, to help him in some way but at the same time, he was terrified of doing anything that would cause more pain. Instead Peter settled on carefully maneuvering Tony away from the chair so he wasn't awkwardly laying with one arm crushed beneath the back and the other slumped over the side. As he carefully rotated his arms in front of him, Peter paid attention to everything he could. He noticed Tony was breathing a little easier on his side but Peter wasn't sure if it was better for him to sit up or stay where we was. Afraid of doing the wrong thing, he just resolved to stay awake for as long as he could. He sat as close as possible to his dad and tucked his knees up to his chin before curling an arm around them to rest his head on while he slipped the other into his dad's hair. He looked down at Tony's scrunched and bruised face and couldn't suppress the few tears he allowed to escape. He whispered under his breath, "I'm sorry, dad. I'm so sorry." There was no reason to keep broadcasting it so after he apologized for his stupidity, he closed his eyes and forced himself to focus. He needed his senses to actually work. Taking a deep breath in and releasing it slowly, he zeroed in on his dad with the express goal of keeping him alive, if anything changed, he would know it.

* * *

Peter sat like that until he was so focused, everything around him was immaterial. He heard Tony's breathing change slightly and he assumed that was because he was getting closer to consciousness. But he wasn't there yet and before Peter realized it, the intense focus became hypnotic and lulled him into a kind of twilight sleep.

* * *

When Tony finally opened his bleary, squinted eyes, he saw his son curled up next to him. "Pete?" Tony scrunched his face at the weakness in his voice, how long had he been out? He tried to be a little louder, "Peter?" Still his son didn't stir. Tony started to worry a bit that something had happened but squashed down the panic until he could find out for sure. Talking wasn't working so Tony swallowed the pain the best he could and forced himself up onto his hands and then managed to twist his legs around enough so he could face the oddly curled up teenager. Tony tried to stretch his hand up to Peter's shoulder but the action stabbed at his chest so all he could do was lay his bloodied hand on Peter's knee. Even that took more effort than he was even willing to admit to himself. Knowing he needed help, he jostled Peter's knee the best he could and croaked out with panting breaths, "Pete. Come on. Wake up." Tony tried to sat up a little higher but when his body protested, he used the hand he had on Peter's knee and tried to lever himself up. Only to lose his precarious hold when the action woke Peter and the kid instinctually slid out of the way.

Peter heard someone talking to him but it was like hearing from a ghost and it took him a minute to really comprehend why. He was exhausted for some reason that he could not remember and he was having a hard time responding. Then he felt a hand on his knee and his mind spun into overdrive, the only person who had done that had been Jeff. He had touched his shoulder and it made his skin crawl so when the hand pressed down and Peter's eyes shot open, he slipped out of the way to make it impossible for Jeff to keep his grip. Unfortunately, he realized who it had been when Tony lost his balance and landed hard next to him.

Tony was slow to react when he felt Peter jerk his leg away. He tried to get his arm under him to absorb the blow but it was impossible and all he managed to do was curse "shit" before he collapsed sideways the few inches he had managed to get himself off the ground. Excruciating pain immediately slammed into him and forced him to curl up toward his ribs in the hopes of protecting them. Still, it didn't matter, he wasn't able to control the pain, which left him with his eyes screwed shut.

Peter watched in abject horror as he let his dad collapse after he had just sworn to pay attention to him. He watched as Tony curled up the best he could and Peter scrambled to figure out what he needed to do. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, he decided he needed to ask and the best way to do that was meet Tony where he was. Peter laid down so he could look his dad in the eye. Then to get his attention, Peter grabbed ahold of the hands that were clenching and unclenching in front of Tony's face and tucked them against his chest, near his heart. He couldn't help but mumble, "'m sorry. I didn't realize it was you." Then he spoke with a little more force, "Dad, please open your eyes."

Whether he heard the request or just managed to get his own pain under control enough, Tony complied and flicked his eyes open.

Peter immediately let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding and whispered, "Hey, dad." A sad smile broke across his face.

Tony blinked a few times to clear his vision and as soon as he was able to completely see his son, his pain was violently forced to the back of his mind as hot anger flared in his chest, compelling his attention into laser sharp focus. "They hit you," he snarled, "what did they do?"

Peter felt tears start to build in his eyes but he swore he wasn't going to cry anymore, "It's nothing dad. I just…I made Jeff mad and he hit me. I can handle this, you know I've had worse." He whispered, his voice thick as he saw the fury in his dad's eyes.

Tony filed that treatment away for after he had dealt with the problem at hand. "Help me up," Tony ordered as he pulled his hands free and planted them at his side.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Peter whispered while sat up.

But Tony was more stubborn than his son and started to push himself up even though his voice became breathy as he strained, "It is Pete, trust me, I've had enough broken ribs to know I should be awkwardly sitting up against something, not laying on my side. Help me up." He grit his teeth against the pain and held himself on shaking arms until Peter carefully laid his hands on his shoulder and pushed him into a sitting position. Unfortunately, they were almost in the middle of the room.

Peter held Tony up but given how hard he was panting, he wasn't sure if this was better or worse, "Now what?" He whispered.

"Help me get to the wall." Tony ground out through clenched teeth.

Peter hated the idea of moving him so he glanced at the chair behind him, "Would the chair be better? I can get you into it."

"No," Tony answered, "I can't…" he trailed off with a groan as he tucked his arms closer to his chest.

"Okay, okay, hold on," Peter said quickly, before he carefully lifted Tony and walked the few steps to the wall. He knew about where the cameras were and realized that if they saw him easily lift his dad, that would just be another thing they had on him, so he blocked the movement as best he could. Once he had Tony situated against the wall, Peter crouched down in front of him.

Tony was panting like he had run a marathon which meant he was in worse shape than he thought. Still, once Peter crouched down in front of him and he managed to open his eyes, he still saw the bruises on Peter's face again. He lifted his shaky hand up to Peter's cheek, carefully brushing his hand across the bruising there. In response, Peter caught the hand and held it carefully as he used his other hand to lower himself into a sitting position in front of Tony. Helped by the hold, Tony brushed his thumb across his cheek and whispered, "I'm sorry, Pete."

Peter shook his head in the negative when Tony apologized, "Please don't apologize to me, dad, you didn't do anything. If anything you should be mad at me for not getting us out of here yet," He felt the tears spring back to his eyes, even as he fought them.

"Tha's not your job, it's mine."

But Peter just shook his head, "We're not arguing about this dad, and it doesn't matter either way because Jeff's bringing in others to watch us."

Tony scrunched his face a bit as he took in that information, "Why?" He asked, unable to come up with a reason for calling in reinforcements. Tony watched Peter drop his head toward the ground and then felt tears on his fingertips, "Pete?"

When he looked back up, his eyes were red and there was heavy guilt written across his face, "I screwed up. I let them know who I was."

"What?" Tony asked, confused as to why he couldn't remember any of it, "What happened?"

Peter begged Tony to understand, to not be mad at him, "I called you dad. I swear I didn't mean to but they were going to kill you. I broke the cuffs and I stopped them from what they were doing. But Jeff knows." He dropped his head again.

Tony felt his heart breaking for his son, "It's okay Pete, we can deal with this. Did you tell them anything else?"

Peter knew what Tony was asking and he carefully shook his head before adding, "He said this was going to get worse though. I don't know how it could."

Tony felt his own tears well up at the innocence in Peter's comment, "I do." The admission caused his chest to tighten again as his pesky left arm continued to remind him that he was getting too old for this. Still, he forced himself to smile, "Come here, Pete." He tugged his son's hand with all the energy he had left.

Peter needed the contact so he didn't resist when Tony tugged him into his side. Peter laid his head on his dad's shoulder and wrapped his arm carefully around his back before he felt Tony rest his cheek on his head. Then he whispered, "It's gonna be alright, Pete. Just gimme a few days and then we'll get out of here." Unfortunately, the reassurance was undermined by the soft grinding of broken bone in Tony's chest and the heartbeats that skipped and skittered from time to time. Peter didn't move though, just sat like that until Tony fell asleep. For as tired as he was, the realization that his dad was dying in front of him kept him awake. He refused to even let himself doze.

* * *

"That fucking kid." Danny cursed as he pressed the ice pack to the bruise on his cheek, "what the hell kind of kid knows how to hit like that?"

Jeff leaned forward watching the middle screen as he mused, "One whose been trained."

"What? Like MMA fighting, he's like 16." Danny shot back.

"No," Jeff threw Danny a bemused look that was only explained when Danny pointed at his cheek. Jeff shrugged and continued, "like Stark cares enough about this kid's safety to teach him self-defense. That's not something you do for someone you don't give a shit about."

Danny winced at him for a minute before he seemed to take Jeff's meaning and his eyes widened in surprise, "Seriously? This whole time?"

Jeff shrugged again as he sat down heavily in the chair, the weight of what he was going to have to do disheartening him, "Seems like it. Something tells me I found the thing he cares more about."

Danny's expression darkened as he glanced over at his friend, "You sure?"

"Yah," he answered with finality, "and I want you in there."

"Fine." Danny answered even while his expression turned sour.

But Jeff wasn't quite done yet, "We'll give them a couple of days, make sure Stark has had enough time to heal a bit and worry about what's going to happen. I want to see how much fight he has left in him."

* * *

 **So there's another chapter down! I know you guys have been asking about the other Avengers and I promise I haven't forgotten about them but they need just a little more time.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the quicker update and feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.**

 **Have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello everyone!**

 **I'm so thankful for all the lovely reviews and the encouragement you guys have been giving me, I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I'm not sure what it is about this story but I have been really motivated to write it so thank you all who have been following along!**

 **I want to make sure I'm making my shoutouts to all my awesome commenters! Perplexion08, I'm glad its getting interesting, I'm hoping to keep it that way :); Indigene Syke, Thank you so much for your positivity and support; skydancer121, I'm glad that you've been waiting for this chapter because I was really hoping to build up to it; carajiggirl, you are so wonderful, thank you for the compliments and I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Thank you again to all of you and I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

When Tony finally woke up the next morning, Peter wasn't next to him and he felt a fresh wave of panic swell in his stomach. Until he heard the door grind open and glanced up to see Peter accepting a tray of what he assumed was food from one of the men. As soon as he pulled the tray into the room, the door closed tight behind him and Tony watched through hooded eyes as Peter carefully balanced the tray before settling down in front of him.

Peter set the tray down between them, paying close attention to the soup to make sure he didn't spill anything. Even smelling the thin broth made his stomach start to growl painfully. He had gotten pretty used to being constantly hungry but they had not been feeding them near enough for his metabolism and so he had been doing his best to ignore it. The food wasn't gruel or anything like that but Peter knew it was the easiest thing they had to make, some bread, and water. Before he started eating though, he glanced up at Tony. "Dad," he said quietly, "food's here."

"Thanks Pete," Tony groaned even as he made no move to pick anything up.

That had been what Peter was afraid of. He knew Tony would be stiff and incredibly sore after what had happened yesterday but he had hoped he would be able to at least move a bit but given what he was seeing, Peter didn't think that was the case. His heart broke. He turned his head sideways to catch Tony's eyes, "Dad, can you eat that?"

"I don't think so Pete. I'm kinda sore right now. Why don't you just eat and then help me." He knew what Peter was thinking and he was hungry so there was no sense in hiding the request.

"That's okay, I'll help you first." Without waiting for a response, Peter slid next to Tony and pulled the bowl off the tray to try and help him swallow some of the soup. It took time, but he managed to help him eat everything and drink most of the water with only a little bit wasted. Only after Tony was taken care of did Peter scarf down his food. Unfortunately, it did little more than make him realize how hungry he was. But it didn't matter, once it was gone, Peter moved the tray to the door and then settled down next to his dad. He tucked his knees up to his chest and rested his head back against the wall, trying to get rid of the now throbbing headache eating only a little bit had caused.

Tony slept through most of the day and by the time they gave them dinner, at least Peter thought of it like dinner because they gave them each a sandwich with the soup, he was able to do a little more for himself. Not much more but Peter was glad to see he was a little less stiff and a little more mobile.

They ate in silence but when Peter settled down next to Tony, he couldn't help but bump his shoulder just a little and quietly whisper, "How are you feelin'?"

"Better, Pete." Tony answered even though he could barely keep his eyes open. He wanted to plan, at least the part of his brain that was not overrun with pain wanted him to keep trying to find a way out of this. Unfortunately, that part of his brain was losing.

Peter knew how tired his dad was and so he fixed him with a sad smile, before whispering, "I won't move, why don't you try to get some more sleep?" To emphasize his point, Peter slid his arm behind Tony's back again and rested his head on his shoulder. Tony seemed to accept because he leaned slightly sideways to where his cheek was resting on Peter's head again. It didn't take long before he was asleep.

Peter stayed awake.

* * *

When Tony woke up to the sound of a door again, he felt a bit more focused. He was no where near okay but when Peter brought the food over, he was at least able to hold the bowl on his own. He was still painfully sore but he knew he had to be better than he would otherwise need to be in any other situation, so he pushed himself. While he did, his slightly more clear mind gave him a chance to think about what he knew would happen in the next few days. Sometime soon, they were going to come for his son and he needed a way to protect him. He needed a plan to draw their attention back to him, away from Peter. As he ate slowly, he watched Peter. He was drawn. His face was thinner and pale, which highlighted the dark bags under his eyes and the lightening bruises on his face. Plus he hadn't said much, which actually worried Tony more than anything. He looked at him over his soup, "How you doin' kid?"

Peter glanced up at him and seemed to realize that he had not said anything yet because he quickly tried to cover his unfocused stare with a smile, "Yah...I mean, I'm alright, I just didn't sleep too well."

Tony narrowed his eyes at him, "You haven't been sleeping at all if the bags under your eyes are anything to go by. You look like Rocket."

Peter had enough of a sense of humor to scoff at that, "Do I really look that bad?"

"Yah, you do." Tony answered and without a hint of humor asked a statement, "You haven't slept at all have you."

Peter felt tears spring to his eyes when he realized he wasn't hiding it as well as he had wanted too, "No…I haven't." He didn't want his dad to worry but he also was too exhausted to lie.

Tony looked at him hard before he came to a decision, "Finish your food and come back over here." Tony waited the few minutes necessary for Peter to inhale the rest of his breakfast before he settled next to him against the wall. Tony finished up the last bit of what he was eating before he glanced over at Peter, "Lay down and relax, Pete. Let me take watch this time." Just to encourage his son to listen, Tony slid his arm around Peter's shoulders and tugged him close, letting him rest on his shoulder. When Peter settled in, Tony rubbed his hand up and down Peter's arm, trying to convince him to get some rest without saying it. He couldn't help but feel a bit relieved when after only a few minutes, he heard the even breaths that accompanied sleep. Fighting the urge to sleep himself, Tony started to plan. His goal was simple, keep the attention off Peter. It took him some time but eventually he settled on something that could work.

Once Tony had his plan, he quickly followed Peter's example and it wasn't until the door pressed open that either one of them woke up again. Peter blinked owlishly before realizing what was happening and jumped up at the prospect of food. As he retrieved it and carefully set it down between them, Tony decided to take the chance and explain what he had been come up with.

"I think it might be a good idea for me to pretend we're not close." Tony started, a little unsure of how Peter was going to take it.

"What do you mean?" Peter asked carefully, trying to parse out his dad's exact meaning behind the words between bites.

But Tony was becoming more confident with his plan the longer he turned it over in his head so he continued, "Exactly what I just said. I think it would be safer for you if they thought we were estranged to some extent."

Peter immediately bristled at the suggestion, "That's a really bad idea. Jeff seems to hate it when people lie, if you try to convince him otherwise and it doesn't work, it's going to be bad for the both of us."

Tony looked at Peter with unbridled honesty, "I have to try something, Pete." But before he could object, Tony continued because he might not want to voice it as a certainty but he knew what was coming, "Their understanding of our relationship has changed and I have to do something to make them think that you aren't worth the time."

"No you don't. You don't have to do that." Peter croaked, food resting in his lap, forgotten as for the first time he realized exactly what Tony thought they were going to do. He swallowed hard, working to control the unrestrained fear he suddenly felt. Peter knew Tony could see it so he tried to bury it and dug into the confidence he always felt as Spider-Man before he continued, "I can handle it, please let me. I'm tried of watching them hurt you and not being able to do anything about it. Let me help you." Peter begged, leaning forward and grabbing a hold of Tony's hands, urging him to understand his motivations.

"I don't think you get it Peter," Tony dipped his head as he tried to figure out how to explain his desperation, "I won't be able to watch that. It's selfish, I know but if they want information, you're about the only way they're going to get it." Tony made sure he had Peter's undivided attention before he continued, "Right now, they only think they understand us and its only from your perspective. Their plan only works if I prove it to them that you're useful. I don't want you to be useful."

Peter fixed his dad with a sad expression, "Please promise me you won't try that." Then he repeated one of his earlier arguments, "I don't like watching it either but I can take it, I know how much pain you're in right now. I know how badly they hurt you last time. Let me help, let me give you a break."

"No." Tony said, revulsion clear in his tone, "I'm going to protect you."

But Peter was already shaking his head in response, "I don't think you can, I think you just have to let this play out."

Tony was never one to take no for an answer and felt his fear morph into rage at the suggestion, "Dammit, Pete, I'm not going to just do that."

Peter gave him a knowing look that was far too old for his age, "You have to."

His expression drove a knife through Tony's chest and it immediately ended the argument. He knew he wasn't going to win so instead he just resolved to do what he could to convince Jeff to stay away from his kid. They fell into an uneasy silence, each one focused on what the next few days would hold. Neither trains of thought were positive but both were resolved to protect the other by any means necessary.

* * *

Jeff gave them another two days before they showed up.

When the door finally opened wide enough for more than a tray to be pushed through, Peter helped Tony stand. He was doing better, much of the stiffness was wearing away even though the pain was still sharp, but there was enough fear driving his actions that he managed to push the throbbing pain a bit more into the background. Taking a half a step forward toward the approaching party, Tony stood the best he could in front of his son. He shot Jeff a look of controlled defiance. Unfortunately, the man looked as pissed as Peter had described him and Tony felt his throat close a bit. If he was still that angry after four days, that did not bode well for them. So when the random extra muscle grabbed ahold of his arm and wrenched it behind his back, Tony could not help the wave of relief that passed through him. Until the man stepped him backward and Jeff and Tony's normal tormentor, Brad, surrounded Peter. He watched that damned sniper step into the room a few feet behind the rest of them.

Tony instinctually knew what was about to happen and froze. He tensed at the hand wrapped tightly around his arm but this was what he had planned for. He steeled his mind against the impulse to scream and rage. Instead he bit his cheek, trying to keep a straight face. Peter might have thought he had given it away but there was still a chance Tony could fix this. If he could keep his expression neutral, he could try to convince them that Peter could not be used as a bargaining chip, that he didn't mean anything to him.

Tony saw the glimmer of true fear in Peter's face as the kid dropped back into a fighting stance that Steve had taught him but still Tony refused to engage. He felt the tension in his shoulders but he refused to talk because he wasn't sure if he could do so without his voice wavering. Instead, he stayed as stone-faced as he could.

The awkward standoff continued. Jeff was standing between Tony and Peter, looking between the two like he was trying to figure out who was going to crack first but when neither one said anything Jeff felt that slight feeling of doubt creep into his mind. He looked over at Tony, "You know this intern whose name you didn't even know a little more than a week ago called you 'dad' the other day, don't you?"

Tony shrugged against his captor, "Don't know what would have made him say that. You honestly think anyone would trust me with kids?" His answer was flippant, with as much disregard for the situation as he could muster. He saw the shock and then the anger on Peter's face as he said it. _Sorry, kid._ Tony thought to himself.

Jeff snarled at the answer before he turned back to Peter, "You good with this Pete? You seemed pretty adamant about your claim when you were lying to me."

Peter was truly thrown off by the exchange, he hadn't expected to be challenged and he stuttered as he tried to think of something to say, "I...I…uh…wasn't sure what I was saying. I'm…'m really tired and I don't think I knew what was really happening." As soon as Jeff glanced back at Tony, Peter shot him an angry glare but quickly covered it when Jeff narrowed his eyes back at him.

"Really?" Jeff snarled, "You're in the habit of calling random people, 'dad'? I've never heard of anyone using that term because they were tired but if that's true then I guess this is not going to matter." Quick as a viper, Jeff threw a punch that connected solidly with Peter's cheek.

Peter wasn't ready for an attack and the punch caught him enough off guard that his head snapped back painfully. He inwardly cursed to himself as he realized how strong this man actually was when his neck started to hurt from the motion. God, he hated whiplash. Still, he recovered quick enough even if he was momentarily dazed. That he blamed on how hungry he was.

Tony watched the punch and felt a gout of blood explode on the inside of his mouth as his teeth cut through the side of his cheek but he still managed to keep the surprise and anger mostly off his face. Jeff turned around like he was expecting to see a reaction and while Tony had a sickened look, he knew it was no where near the panic Jeff was hoping to see. Then Tony spoke slowly, controlled, "It's not that he's not my son but in all honesty, his mother wouldn't let me see him until pretty recently so we're not really all that close."

Jeff looked at Tony carefully. He was trying to pull the lie out of Stark's statement because he knew at least part of that was a lie. Still, he was confident enough in what he had heard and seen to feel comfortable pushing just a little more. He was going to win this exchange. Unconsciously, he smirked before he shrugged and slammed another fist into Peter's face. The kid's head snapped again but still Stark remained resolutely silent. That was when Jeff started to feel that growing level of desperation and doubt pressing in on his mind. He hit Peter again with the same result. His mind spun. Had he been too hasty in his assessment of the situation? Too angry at being fooled to think rationally? When they had taken him, Jeff had promised using Peter would be a last resort and he wasn't even completely sure this would work. His questions caused him to hesitate.

Only for Danny to step forward and clock Peter across the jaw, "That's for the other day, kid." The sniper snarled before looked back over at Jeff and flicking two fingers to his brow.

The action pulled Jeff back to the present and he knew he had to keep going. This was for a reason more important than his own humanity. He resolved to push until Stark finally broke. He dispensed with all stalling and unleashed a flurry of blows against Peter, slamming his fist into his cheek again, his chest, his stomach, anything to elicit some kind of response from his actual target. Finally, he raised his fist and slammed it down, driving Peter to the ground. For a split second, he thought Peter had taken the hit and would stay standing but then he was groaning on the ground so Jeff just assumed he had imagined it. He flexed his fingers, emphasizing his bloody knuckles as he turned back to Tony. He was not encouraged by what he saw.

Tony was proud of himself, in a sickening way, for maintaining a stoic expression. If this worked, maybe they would ignore what Peter had said and leave him alone again. He hoped it would be enough. He watched Jeff turn around again, flexing fingers red with his son's blood and he had to fight to keep down the feral part of his brain that was telling him to tear this man limb from limb. But protecting Peter was more important than resolving this wrong so Tony just prayed he had done enough to take the attention off Peter.

"Really? Nothing?" Jeff spat in his direction. Then he scoffed, spun, and kicked out hard at Peter's stomach in his frustration. Tony remained doggedly mute even as he chewed away the skin on the interior of his cheek.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for his new burly friend. In a deep, rumbling voice the muscle-bound brute holding his arms in a vice, put in his two cents, "He's lying boss."

Tony had been so focused on the display before him that he forgot about the human handcuffs behind him and he physically jumped at the voice, unaware that any of these men talked. Still, his heart rate immediately skyrocketed as the possibility of being caught became very real.

Jeff's eyes narrowed as he looked up at the man holding Tony, "What do you mean, Rick?"

The man twisted his hands more fully around Tony's arm before he continued, "He might be pretending he doesn't care, but he's flinched pretty significantly at every punch you've thrown. You keep hitting that kid and he'll eventually respond the way you want."

Tony immediately started to weigh his response. If he said something, he risked reinforcing Rick's point but if he didn't say anything, he risked them going farther until he did. His chest started to ache as he weighed his options. Unfortunately, Jeff didn't seem concerned enough with his internal struggle to wait for a response. Instead, he shot Tony a wicked grin, turned, and slammed the side of his foot into Peter's chest. There was a resounding crack as a rib gave away and Peter groaned in pain. Tony felt another blossom of iron in his mouth as his other cheek exploded in pain.

Jeff turned back to Tony, stepping up into his face, getting almost nose to nose with him. There was malice in his tone when he sneered, "Nothing snarky to say Stark?" And that was when his saw the flecks of blood on Tony's lips. His smile grew wider as he hoped he knew what he was seeing. Without warning, Jeff took ahold of Tony's cheeks and squeezed hard, forcing him to open his mouth and allowing a few drops of blood to fall from his lower lip, adding a brighter crimson to the already stained shirt. "What happened, Stark? Did you bite your lip?"

Jeff could not help but feel a bit redeemed when he realized what was happening, at least he hadn't been wrong. He felt like he had found the key to getting what he wanted, like the energy in the room had shifted in his direction. Stark had not done anything when they had hit him. He had been snarky, he had been defiant, but not once had he been silent. He paused for a moment more, watching the fear in his target's eyes before he jeered, "You're a lot closer than you said, Stark. You should have listened more to your son, I don't like it when people lie."

He called over his shoulder, "Brad, have at him." Stark's eyes widened in terror as Brad drove his booted foot down Peter's stomach. Even though he knew it was coming, Jeff was still shocked at the first cry he heard from Peter. It drove a stake of embarrassment and shame through his own heart. Still, he reminded himself who this was for and he locked his own dishonor away before he dropped his hand off Tony's mouth and hissed, "You are the only one who can stop this." The threat was punctuated by a pained cry from Peter and an unconscious whimper from Tony.

Tony knew he was caught as soon as that dick of a guard gave away his unconscious flinching. If he had been in a chair, they never would have known. Then he heard the worst sound in the world, a cry of pain as a man who was at least twice Peter's size viciously kicked him and Tony could not help but whimper before Jeff drove home the dagger. Still, Tony forced himself to look passed Jeff and watch what he was letting happen to his son.

The longer he watched, the more vocally he reacted. He tried to hold out but after the fifth or sixth hit, Peter howled in pain and Tony couldn't help but scream, "No!" Once that vocal floodgate opened, he felt hot tears crawl down his face and he started spitting curses with a venom he had never felt before. They weren't going to stop. He had failed and that meant all he had left was to fight. Tony pulled hard against the brute holding him while he screamed, "Get the fuck away from him." But no one was listening. "You're going to kill him. Stop!" But Brad didn't even hesitate, instead he continued to work Peter over. Tony continued his rant, well aware and completely uncaring that Jeff was watching him with a satisfied expression. Tony played to it, said whatever he could to try and shift some of the focus back on him, "Stop you goddamn bastard, what are you doing? He didn't do anything, I have what you want. Hit me!" As he screamed, Tony thrashed against his captor's grip but he just wasn't strong enough. Peter finally let out another cry, as Jeff stepped back in front of Tony. Mirroring the man's attempts to look passed him, Jeff snarled, "You can make this stop you know. Just give me what I want."

That demand snapped Tony's attention to his, he wanted so badly to give him exactly what he wanted. "I can't…" Tony groaned.

Jeff's eyes widened a bit in surprise, given that display he assumed compliance. Still, he pushed, "Damn, you're colder than I thought. You'd allow your son to be beaten to protect company secrets."

Tony snarled and gave up on denying anything, spittle flying when he growled, "I don't give a shit about the stuff. Take it. Take my whole goddamn company. But I can't give you what you want." Another particularly loud snapping sound followed by a more desperate cry dragged his attention back to the beating, "Peter!" Tony screamed, renewing his attempt to break the man's grapple. Unfortunately, all he succeeded in doing was pulling so hard his arm went numb as the tendons in one of his shoulders finally gave up.

Jeff just smirked at the distraught display, "You are the _only_ person who can give me what I want. It's just three things." His voice was honeyed when he tried to push home the blow, "Just give them to me and I'll stop this."

Tony's wild, tearful eyes betrayed true terror as he looked back at Jeff, "I can't do that." Then he resorted to begging, "Please. Stop this, please."

But Jeff just got angry at his continued refusal, "Why? This obviously upsets you, why can't you just end it?"

Tony was desperate but still had the presence of mind to keep the most important thing secret, as he swore, "I don't know who Spider-Man is!"

Jeff just spat in his face, "You really expect me to believe you don't know the identity of one of the Avengers?"

But then Peter cursed in pain as a particularly well-placed boot stomped on his arm before it quickly followed with another kick to the chest. His entire body was on fire but the only thing he could hear was his dad screaming for them to stop. He understood what he had been trying to do before and a small part of him wished it had worked because getting the crap kicked out of you was never fun. He just wanted a chance to take a breath but that didn't happen as another boot found his stomach and slammed the little air he had managed to take in out of his lungs. Peter thought for a second about not fighting anymore, about just letting himself pass out but at the same time, he knew what that would do to Tony so he kept fighting, hoping against hope that they would stop soon.

"Stop it!" Tony screamed, attention pulled away from Jeff by the beating happening before his eyes, "Please, stop!"

Jeff ordered over his shoulder, "Hold on a second Brad," then he looked back at Tony. "See how easy that was," he said as Peter groaned in pain behind him. He stepped closer to Tony, "Tell me what I want to know."

Tony felt his heart shattering into pieces, he couldn't protect his son without betraying him and he didn't know enough about why they wanted Spider-Man's identity to make that risk acceptable. If he told them it was Peter, they might just kill him outright, so Tony grit his teeth and lied with everything he had, "I'm telling you I don't know." He stressed, willing the man to understand that he would gladly give it up if he could.

Unfortunately, Jeff was beyond bargaining, "Then I'm afraid I can't stop this." He called over his shoulder, "Go ahead Brad."

"No!" Tony screamed again, yanking with all the strength he had left. It wasn't enough to even get Rick to stumble forward, but he continued to scream, "I would tell you if I could but I can't, please! I can't tell you what I don't know! You can have anything else!"

But Jeff wasn't in the mood to negotiate, he simply turned his back on Tony and watched with indifference as Brad continued his bloody work.

* * *

Brad continued until he had beaten Peter unconscious.

By the time Rick dropped his grip on Tony, he collapsed. He had screamed himself hoarse, one of his arms flopped dead to the ground next to him, and he was sobbing brokenly. There was no reason to hide anything anymore, they knew exactly what they had and Tony was still no closer to understanding what to do to get them out of it. Still, he couldn't force himself to think about any of that as he watched the tortured rise and fall of Peter's chest from his position on his knees. As they were leaving the room, Jeff leaned down and whispered to Tony, "We're going to keep doing this until you give me what I want so take care of your son because next time he might not be as responsive."

The admission that they were going to keep doing this triggered something in Tony. Intense anger slammed back into him and he looked up at Jeff with a feral look in his eyes, snarling, "I'm going to kill you."

The abrupt change caused Jeff to both laugh and take a step back before he caught himself. "And how exactly are you going to do that?" He mocked.

Tony pressed that surprise and leaned forward toward their tormentor menacingly, "I'm going to put my hands around your throat and squeeze until all the light goes out."

Jeff just scoffed, "Good luck with that one Stark. Your Avenger friends aren't going to be there this time, you're on your own. Honestly, I'm impressed you were able to dislocate your shoulder, given how pathetic you were just a handful of days ago," he leaned down in Tony's face with a smile, "that takes a lot of motivation." Then he stood and stalked out of the room, leaving Tony to stew and panic in the silence of their cell.

* * *

 **There you have it. It's kind of been building to this chapter (this was actually one of the first chapters I wrote) and I hope the set-up worked the way it was supposed to. I know this was a really dark chapter but I promise, it won't stay that way forever!**

 **Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments!**

 **I also wanted to let you know that I probably won't be able to upload again for about a week, I've got some family stuff coming up this weekend, which is normally when I have the most writing time.**

 **I hope everyone has a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	7. Chapter 7

**So I know I said I didn't think I would be able to update this week but I had a little more time than I thought and this chapter has been floating around in my head all weekend so here you go!**

 **Thank so so much to the wonderful Indigene Syke (I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and yah it was kind of one of those things that had to happen!), the awesome carajiggirl (I promise I'll answer the question in the next few chapters and thank you so much for taking the time to read it!), the fantastic perplexion08 (I hope the unexpected update works for you and thank you so much for the well wishes for the weekend!), the wonderful guest who keeps sending me such nice reviews, and to the awesome**. 15 **(I really hope your username came through, for some reason it kept deleting it...but I wanted to tell you LOTR is my all time favorite book series so thank you for your name and for your review!)**

 **Thank you again so much for all the awesome reviews, follows, and favorites. It means a lot to read them!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Tony sat on his knees staring as the door closed behind him and the lock slid into place. His mind was spinning but once the immediate threat was gone, it solidified on Peter. Turning carefully, he tried to crawl the few feet he needed to get to his son but it was a painfully slow process. Tony was panting by the time he made it but the reality of Peter's injures forced a sob out of Tony's abused throat. His face was bruised and swollen and his arms showed the same damage. Tony whined when he saw the boot print clearly visible as a bruise on Peter's broken forearm. Still, he knew the majority of the damage was hidden by his clothes, so Tony lifted Peter's shirt enough to look at the extent of his injuries. What he saw made fresh bile claw up the back of his throat. His chest was a mess of bruises and shifted bones, visible against the taught skin. Peter was a skinny kid, Spider-Manning made that easy, but Tony finally realized how little he had actually been eating. "God, Pete," Tony whispered with a renewed sob but he bit his tongue as he reminded himself he needed to be useful, right now he wasn't doing that. He ached to pick Peter up, to somehow shield him from whatever he could but Tony realized he couldn't do any of that until his shoulder was back in place.

Huffing his frustration at the continued separation, Tony groaned as he fell onto his back. Focusing everything he had left, he forced his arm out to the side. The appendage shook violently as he managed to get his elbow just above his shoulder. From there he bent his arm, reaching to the back of his head and snarling at how slow he was moving. But once he made it, he reached behind his head toward his other shoulder. It took more stretching that it should have but finally he felt feeling return to his shoulder as the joint popped painfully back into place. Immediately realizing he succeeded, Tony pressed himself up, ignoring the shock of pain that shot through his chest as rolled his arm just to be sure it was in place. Once he realized it worked, he painfully sat back up and carefully pulled Peter into his lap, before curling over his son in a terrible attempt to protect him.

As Tony ran his hand through the greasy, sweat-soaked curls, he couldn't help but whisper, "I'm so sorry, Peter. You were right, I should have never tried that. I'm sorry." He felt that familiar feeling of guilt trying to crush him as he clutched Peter as close as he could to his own damaged chest. It might have been Jeff's men that had done the physical damage, but Tony was the one who let it happen. The one who was too stupid to plan for some way for the others to find them outside of obvious trackers. The one who was unable to protect one of the three most important things in his life. The one who had put Peter in this position in the first place. Then Peter shifted in his grasp, a painful whimper accompanying the movement and Tony pulled him closer, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "I'm here, Peter, I promise. I'm not leaving you alone." He carefully combed Peter's hair back, hoping to offer some level of comfort to his unconscious son. He tried to shield Peter from the cameras in the room, unwilling to give them anything else. Still, for as powerful as fear and anger were as motivators, Tony's own wounds eventually caught up to him. His chest started to burn and he was beginning to feel incredibly stiff. Everything in him rejected the idea of leaving Peter on his own and Tony knew there was no way he could safely move him so he shifted a bit and got as comfortable as he could. It took time but eventually he passed out with Peter clutched closely to his chest.

* * *

Danny followed Jeff into the surveillance room, a scowl plastered on his features as he waited for his friend to sit down. He stayed standing defiantly, Jeff would address him once he noticed.

Jeff felt a bit better about his situation. He had a course now and that gave him a modicum of control. He was so close. For whatever reason, the only thing Stark felt the need to protect was Spider-Man's identity. But given how quickly he had been willing to give everything else up, Jeff knew he just needed to push a little harder. It would be a slower and more painful experience than what he had planned initially for the kid but at least Peter would be useful in the end. But then he looked up at Danny and immediately read the scowl on his face for what it was, still he was too close to let his friend's opinion ruin it, "We're close to the end of this." He said, his voice steady.

Danny snapped a sarcastic answer, "Yah, now you know exactly how Stark feels about that kid."

Jeff felt anger flash through his mind, "Are you actually mad, Danny?"

"Of course I fucking am. You didn't tell me the plan!" Danny scowled, "I thought I was in there to help control the situation but you intended for Brad to be that violent, didn't you?"

Jeff felt his embarrassment and dishonor knocking on that mental box he had created and for a moment, he had a hard time doing more than just nodding.

But Danny wasn't having nearly the same problem and he lowered his voice dangerously as he scolded him, "You just had an adult beat a teenager unconscious."

Jeff felt anger flare up in his chest at the accurate accusation, "You're the one that told me to figure out what he cared more about."

"Right," Danny snapped, "so you could threaten Stark, mess with his head, not have Brad beat the shit out of a kid."

"Watch it Danny," Jeff started, thrown off by the demeanor of his friend, "I don't need you questioning me right now."

"Well you're going to have to deal with it," Danny snapped, locking eyes with Jeff. The two stared each other down before eventually Jeff broke eye contact, unable to take the disappointment he saw in his friend's face. When Danny realized he won, some of the fight slipped away and he slid into a chair across from Jeff, "I'm with you, I told you that, I'll even knock the kid around a bit if you need me too, but Brad broke his bones. That's too far for me."

"What do you want me to do, Danny? The only time Stark has reacted to anything has been now. He's only holding out on one more thing, if we go after Peter for a bit longer I think we can get him to give it up…" Jeff trailed off as he looked hopefully at the screen behind him.

Danny watched him carefully, weighing his words, "Jeff, I was in that room too, I don't think Stark was lying. I think he might actually be willing to give you as much as he can but Spider-Man's identity isn't one of those things."

Jeff rounded on him and asked incredulously, "You can't actually believe that Stark doesn't know the identity of one of the Avengers?"

Danny shrugged, "I can't tell you whether he knows it or not but if he does, he's a fantastic liar because he seemed barely with it at the end. Look at him now," Danny threw his hand up at the screen to where Tony was tightly curled over Peter's prone body, asleep. "He's a father too," Danny started, somberness clear in his tone as he pushed forward, "think about what you're doing for your daughter, what makes you think he wouldn't do the same to protect his son? That kid is like 16 and Stark has never been seen with him, Peter's name has never been connected with Stark outside of that internship. The world effectively doesn't know he exists. But Stark very obviously cares about him. If Stark's gone to that much trouble to protect Peter's identity, he's going to protect him in whatever way he can." He paused until Jeff looked away from the screen and met his eye, "I think he wants to give you everything but he can't. You know as well as I do, a person can only tell you what they know. You don't want him making something up just to make you stop. He's not going to be okay with that."

Jeff flicked his eyes between the screen and Danny, well aware the man was probably right. Eventually he threw up his hands, "What the hell do you want me to do then? We can't go back to him without Spider-Man's identity."

Danny leaned forward onto his knees, "If you really think Stark knows then you need to push harder. But push Stark. Fuck with his head. Go back to him, make him think that you've rethought your strategy, that you're trying to give Peter a chance to heal before you start in on him again. You've given them breaks before so there's no reason why he should think otherwise. Give Stark the chance to torture himself by proving to him how much worse it can get for Peter, maybe smack the kid around a bit to remind Stark that we can. But nothing more than bruises," Danny fixed Jeff with a serious stare, as if trying to get confirmation for the limit they were willing to go to from here on out. When Jeff gave a slight nod in response, Danny continued, "Convince him of how painful it will get for Peter and Stark'll tell you what you want, if he knows it."

Jeff knew Danny's limits, it had been part of the reason he had begged him for his help in the first place, and he couldn't help but feel a little bad at how far he had let it go. Still, he was sure Stark knew the last piece of the puzzle and he was willing to do what he needed in order to get it out of him. He had been hoping this was going to be fast but more than anything, it needed to be right so he would try Danny's suggestion. Stark was known for his intelligence and imagination, maybe this would be a better way. He glanced over at the middle screen again and watched as Stark woke up. He glanced around the room a bit before he tugged Peter closer. Jeff knew that action had to be painful and considered what Danny had said, maybe it would work.

* * *

It took Peter what Tony could only assume was about a day to wake up. Tony had been in and out but they had brought food twice and just stacked it at the door. The first time, Peter flinched as the door opened but he didn't wake up, even though Tony tried to convince him to when he could. It was longer than Tony would have expected and he couldn't help but worry about the reason why.

Eventually though, Peter groaned as he started to come to consciousness. Tony was asleep and the action jostled his ribs as Peter shifted in his own discomfort. The pain shocked Tony awake and for a moment, fear pierced his mind until he realized there was no one else in the room with them. Then he felt more movement against his chest, and he realized what it was, "Come on Pete, time to wake up." Tony murmured as he laid his hand against his son's cheek. Peter turned into the pressure and groaned again, "D…ad?" He whispered.

"Yah, it's me Pete. Please open your eyes." Tony begged softly.

Peter could hear the desperation in his dad's tone and he so badly wanted to listen but everything about his body, including his eyelids, felt like it was weighted down with lead. "Hurts…" was all he managed to squeeze out.

Tony choked out a sob, "I know Pete, I'm sorry. But I need you to look at me." He slipped the hand on Peter's cheek into his hair, "I need you to eat too."

As if in confirmation of how hungry he was, Peter's stomach growled and he shifted uncomfortably again, but this time, he managed to elbow Tony, earning a pained gasp. Hearing that forced Peter to open his eyes, "'m sorry", he mumbled as he pressed his head back farther into Tony's lap and blinked, trying to get a good look at his dad.

Tony had to fight to keep from dropping Peter and still breathe through the pain. It took him a minute but he was able to control it long enough to ground out, "'t'z alright, Pete." He pulled in a few more shallow breaths before continuing, "Think you can sit up? I have to get the food."

Peter nodded and started to roll off Tony's lap. He put both hands down to brace himself and then cried out in pain when the broken bone in his forearm ground a bit. He managed to drop himself down to his elbow but the motion still jarred his various injuries. He dropped the rest of the way and rolled onto his back, panting against the pain. He might heal faster but that didn't mean the agony of wounds was any easier to deal with.

"Peter!" Tony called, concern clear in his tone. He reached forward and gripped Peter's shoulder, "are you alright?"

Peter could feel tears building in his eyes as he nodded against the cold floor. He squeezed his eyes shut and curled his arms just a little farther over his chest as he tried to slow his quickened breathing enough to keep moving. He focused on Tony's hand on his shoulder and tried to take as much confidence from that as he could while he listened to the quiet reassurances from his dad. Eventually he managed to breathe through his nose enough to calm down.

"It's alright, Pete, slow down," Tony offered.

After a few minutes, Peter felt in enough control of his pain to keep moving. Looking over at Tony, he whispered, "'m good now, dad. I can move." Tony nodded and shifted to help get him back up. It took both of them moving incredibly slowly but eventually Peter was against the wall. Panting with the effort, he dropped his head back and closed his eyes. Tony slowly stood and grabbed the food, carefully putting it in front of Peter the same way the teenager had done a few days ago.

In a sickening reversal of roles, Tony helped Peter eat before he ate himself. Tony made sure to force Peter to eat a little more than he did and his son was out of it enough that he could easily give him more. Tony had been feeling too sick to eat much anyway.

Once both had eaten, Tony fell back against the wall next to Peter and threw his arm around him. Peter leaned against his shoulder with an exhausted sigh and a muffled whimper. Tony glanced down at him and whispered, "How bad is it, Pete?"

Peter stared at the ground in front of them, he wanted to lie but at the same time, he knew how dangerous that could be, so he answered in an embarrassed murmur, "It hurts pretty bad right now and I don't think I'm healing as fast as I normally do." He glanced up at his dad and he knew there were tears in his eyes, "I didn't even realize my arm was broken."

Tony curled his arm tighter around Peter, chest tightening at the prospect of something ruining Peter's healing ability. Still, he refused to vocalize that concern and instead pressed a kiss to the top of Peter's head, "I know Pete, I'm sorry." He knew this was getting too dangerous to wait for the others. Tony leaned close to Peter's ear and whispered, "I think we need to think about getting out of here. I know I said we should wait but I don't think that's an option anymore." When he leaned back, he saw Peter's eyes glinting with hope.

"Are you sure, dad?" Peter whispered back, careful not to say anything too loud, even though he could not help the optimism that welled up in his chest.

"Yah," Tony answered without a hint of hesitation.

"Okay, how?" Peter responded earnestly.

"I'm still working on that but the first thing we need to do is get that door open." Tony answered.

"I can do that…" Peter rushed to say before he trailed off, "but we're going to have to wait until my arm heals. I can't put enough pressure on it yet." The hope that he felt slid away as he realized that he was the reason that they weren't leaving right now.

Tony noticed the crestfallen look and pulled him closer again, "Nope, don't do that. Do not do that. This isn't your fault. We'll wait however long you need and then we're leaving." Tony said fiercely even while uselessness crept into his mind. He should be the one getting Peter out, not waiting until his son's arm healed so he could get them out. Still, that was not a useful thought and Tony needed to be pragmatic right now. He could beat himself up for his sentimental failures after they had escaped and Peter was far away from here. "For now, get some more sleep Pete," Tony ordered quietly, "I'll stay right here."

Peter glanced up at him like he wanted to argue but seemed to think better of it before his eyes softened and he whispered, "Love you, dad."

"Love you too, Pete." Tony said with a smile, "We're going to get out of here, I promise."

That seemed to be enough because Peter smiled back and tucked his head back into Tony's shoulder. It didn't take either one long to fall back to sleep.

They left them alone for two more days.

* * *

At the beginning of the third day, Jeff looked over at Danny, "Are you sure this'll work?" After a few days of thinking, Jeff had become a bit unsure of the course they were taking because he also knew that they were stepping away from what they knew worked.

Danny just shrugged back at him, his normal, even tone a comfort to Jeff's concern, "You know I can never tell you for sure. But I think it will and I know there will be infinitely less dishonor in this than what happened before."

Jeff didn't particularly appreciate the initial comment but couldn't help but selfishly appreciate the chance to maintain at least some of his humanity. This would work.

* * *

Tony and Peter were both asleep against the wall. As the door ground open, it didn't wake either of them.

Jeff took the opportunity to start them on the defensive. He stepped up to Tony and kicked his foot hard, relishing in the involuntary confused cry before his eyes snapped open. Jeff watched with confidence as Tony glanced around with wild panic before his eyes settled on the others in the room. But as Stark's panic shifted into feral rage as he tugged his, also now awake, son closer to him, Jeff started to feel a bit of concern. Tony was going to fight him, making his job infinitely harder. But it wasn't just the look on Tony's face, Peter shot him a look of pure loathing that was undercut by a confidence he didn't think suited the teenager. _Shit_ , he thought to himself, he had been banking on fear, which meant he given them too much time. Immediately his mind started to spin. He needed a new angle quickly.

He paused for just a moment before he hit on an idea, "Danny," Jeff called over his shoulder, never taking his eyes off Tony, "take Peter to his new room." Jeff turned slightly toward Danny, hoping that he would cover the change of plans. As the professional he was, he did. "You got it boss," he replied, rolling with the improvisation. Stepping up next to him, he grabbed ahold of Peter's arm and yanked hard. He didn't expect any real challenge but Peter had his arm around Tony's waist and yelled "No!" as Danny tried to pull him upright. The resistance caught Danny off guard and he stumbled backward as his hand slid off Peter's arm.

Unfortunately for the pair, Tony grunted in pain as Peter clutched tightly onto damaged ribs. Peter's attention was jerked away from Danny's stumbling toward his dad. He slid his arm out from around Tony's back, and quickly added, "I'm sorry! Are you okay?" But as his attention changed, Danny stepped back up and grabbed ahold of Peter again, yanking even harder. Peter was so distracted that he wasn't able to resist. Instead as he was pulled to his feet, he just screamed, "No! Let me go! No!"

Tony's mind short-circuited as he realized they were going to take Peter away from him and he tightened his grip around Peter's shoulders while he felt his son do the same around his waist. When Danny tugged on Peter's arm, Tony tried to brace for what was about the happen but it was all for not when Peter's hand tightened around his waist and he couldn't help but react to the pain. That immediately forced Peter to let go and Tony tried to lunge toward his son as Danny realized it too. It didn't matter though, Tony wasn't able to get a grip and he ended up falling awkwardly, partially leaning against the wall and partially against the floor while his demands echoed Peter's, "Leave him alone! Let him go!"

Peter watched Tony try to press himself back into a sitting position against the wall and he desperately wanted to throw Danny off. He knew he could do so easily but also knew that his strength was the only way they were getting out of this place and he couldn't give it away yet. Still, he desperately did not want to be separated from his dad and so he tugged with a fraction of his strength. The action surprised Danny and Peter managed to wrench his arm away and fall back next to his dad. He dared to glare back up at their tormentors as he wrapped his arm tightly around Tony's shoulders.

Jeff watched the entire exchange with exasperation. Why the hell were these two so much trouble? Danny and Rick stepped up to deal with Peter but Jeff just pulled out his weapon. The sound of the hammer drew Peter and Tony's, finally, fearful eyes. Jeff tisked as he asked, "What did I tell you before mini-Stark?" He was not particularly aiming at either one but he knew that they both would react the way he wanted regardless of which one he did target. Peter snarled up at him and Tony regained that feral anger as he unconsciously slipped his arm around Peter's waist. After a brief minute of defiance though, they both released their hold and Peter stood up. For a split second, Jeff couldn't help but be surprised at how easily the kid was moving, hadn't he just had the shit kicked out of him three days ago? None of it mattered though because Danny and Rick lead Peter out of the room, leaving Jeff with Brad and Tony.

He crouched down into Tony's angry face, "I told you things are going to get worse for the two of you. I'll bring him back in a few days but its really going to be up to you what condition he's in because here's the new game. I'm going to ask you questions and if you don't answer, I'm going to have Brad here punish you and then Rick is going to give Peter a significantly worse treatment only this time, he's not going to have you there to make it better." He leaned in closer, "You remember what it feels like to be injured and alone, don't you Stark?" He grinned in Tony's face when he saw the recognition flash through Stark's eyes. Then he continued, "Good. Now imagine the same thing for your son." Some of the determined anger dropped out of Tony's face and Jeff pressed, "He's going to die alone and in pain unless you give me what I want."

Tony's mind immediately started to spin. Images of a bloody, broken Peter sobbing into the floor while he begged for help assaulted his mind's eye. He recoiled at the thought, "No…" he whispered unconsciously.

"Yes," Jeff snarled back at him. Then he looked over at Rick, "Get him in the chair."

Tony felt himself manipulated back into his chair. His hands were wrenched behind his back and handcuffed but his mind was somewhere else. He couldn't say anything and he knew it but at the same time, he seriously started considering making up a name to give Jeff something to make this stop. He barely even felt the first few blows and it wasn't until Jeff yanked his hair up and forced him to look at him that Tony registered what was happening, "What's his name?" Jeff asked.

They had taken everything from him. They had taken Peter from him. But Tony couldn't hit them, couldn't kill them, couldn't blow them to hell, so he did all he could and spat in Jeff's face. He smiled brokenly as he added, "Steve Rogers." Jeff just snarled at the jab and flicked his fingers across his chest at Brad.

The rest of the questions and punishment passed in a blur.

* * *

Peter fought as they dragged him to one of the storage rooms. It wasn't enough of a fight to get away because he was afraid of what they would do to his dad if he threw them off now, but it was enough to make him incredibly annoying. Still, they tossed him in the room and locked the door behind them. Peter felt tears pricking at his eyes but he didn't cry, didn't yell because it wouldn't be useful.

Instead, as soon as the door closed behind him, he sat down. He let his anger and fear focus his senses and in the silence of the room, Peter sat with his eyes closed as he listened to the sounds in the warehouse. He was still for longer than he ever had been before but his drive to escape was enough to force patience. He wasn't sure how long he sat like that but eventually he heard booted feet stepping away from the room where he knew his dad was. They were finally leaving him alone. Peter listened as the owners separated and moved in two different directions. Then he heard the sound of two different doors in two different locations.

The warehouse fell silent again as only the reinforcements continued to move through the hallways. Peter maintained his focus.

But after a few more minutes, he heard something out of the ordinary. It was a soft popping that kind of sounded like gunshots. Immediately, he tried to focus on that, thinking he might have made it up. When he heard it again, it was accompanied by pounding feet moving out of the doors that had just closed. Now was his chance. Peter took it.

He stepped up to the door of his new room and laid both hands on it before pushing. His arm started to burn as he continued to lay on the strength but he new he couldn't wait any longer. After only a bit more pressure, he heard the pop of the lock on the other side. The door swung open. Peter stuck his head out and looked around but when he didn't see anyone in the immediate area, he slipped out and took off toward where he knew his dad was.

* * *

 **Not too much longer now! I'm thinking this story only has a few more chapters before its finished so I hope you're still enjoying it!**

 **Feel free to let me know what you think in the reviews and thank you again for all of your support.**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello my awesome readers! Here's the next chapter for you!**

 **As has become custom, I want to make sure that I say a thousand thank yous to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed. It truly is an incredible thing to see support, encouragement, and engagement from amazing people.**

 **Thank you to:** **the wonderful carajiggirl, I'm so glad you're excited and I hope this chapter lives up to that excitement; the awesome skydancer121, you'll have to read and find out :); the fantastic Indigene Syke, I hope this one meets your expectations, also your username is really cool and catches my attention every time; the amazing HHaines, I'm glad your still enjoying it and I hope you continue to do so; the awesome perplexion08, I hope this was soon enough and I totally love reading your reviews :); to LightNote19, I hope this chapter answers your questions.**

 **So without further ado, here's the next chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The light in the hallway was much brighter than any of the other rooms he had been since they had been kidnapped, but for some reason it was only now that the fluorescent bulbs burned through his retinas as he sprinted down the hallway. Taking the last turn he needed, he skid to a stop in front of Tony's room and immediately grabbed ahold of the door and the lock. Peter didn't immediately jerk at the lock because he was worried a motion like that would re-break his arm before he managed to get the door open. Keeping that in mind, he pulled with as much consistent force as he could, forcing himself to ignore the burning pop that accompanied the metallic shattering of the lock.

Once it was unlocked, Peter practically tore the door off its hinges in his desperation.

It was finally time to leave.

As Peter stepped into the room, it took his eyes a second to adjust to the dim light again but when they did, he couldn't help but gasp as he saw Tony. For a moment he was dumbstruck by the brutality. His dad was unconscious, blood dripping from his partially opened mouth as his labored breathing echoed harshly in the room. But as Peter focused, he became aware of how bad it really was. He could hear his dad's uneven, leaden heartbeats, the crunching sound that accompanied each stuttered breath as his expanding chest shifted broken ribs, and the breathiness that hinted at something wrong with his lungs. Peter shivered and bolted toward the chair. They needed to leave. Now.

He easily broke the cuffs before he paused just a moment to focus on the gunfire he had heard before. It was closer but it was echoing strangely and he was too preoccupied to begin to develop a hypothesis for why.

He leaned over Tony instead. "Dad," he hissed, "I think there's someone else here, so we're gonna go." Peter studied him for a moment because he knew he couldn't carry him over his shoulder, it was too dangerous. Peter nervously kept talking as he judiciously tipped Tony into his arms, "I'll be careful I promise, I think I can get us out of here quick enough that you won't even notice." As he said it, he couldn't keep part of his mind from wandering to the challenge of getting away from the warehouse, but that didn't matter if they didn't get out first so he pressed the thought away. He carefully picked his dad up, hushing him softly when Tony groaned at the movement, but the sound driving guilt through his heart all the same because he was terrified of hurting him. Peter adjusted Tony's head so it was cradled against his shoulder and that seemed to stop most of the complaints and pain. Peter shuddered as his spider senses crawled a bit more urgently once he had Tony but he breathed as deep as he could and let that hyper-focused fear fuel him. He stepped up to the ruined door and listened for movement in the hallways, trying to pinpoint where people were and more importantly where the exit was located.

Once he felt satisfied no one was close, he slipped into the hallway and to the right, away from the room they had him in before and away from the monitoring room. The action was more out of fear than any true strategy but he didn't dwell because the hallways seemed more claustrophobic and paradoxically more open than he remembered. As he moved as stealthily as he could, he couldn't help but be aware of the cameras and the vulnerability of their position, he knew he couldn't fight if anyone caught them. He just had to hope their captors were busy with whatever was going on elsewhere in the facility. Peter clutched Tony closer as he saw an open door on his left. Cautiously glancing in, Peter noticed this was one of the men's rooms but there was no one inside. He took the opportunity to try and get his bearings. Slipping inside, he pressed his back to the wall and closed his eyes as he tried to pinpoint people around them. He could hear boots on the concrete floor followed by a few more popping sounds, louder still. He needed to make a decision.

As his mind flipped through the information, he realized Jeff and his men would probably not be firing their weapons in the warehouse without cause, meaning there was someone else who was at least hostile to them. So Peter made a decision to move toward the gunfire. Even if the intruders were not friendly or helpful, they might provide enough of a distraction to give Peter and Tony a chance to get out. Plus whoever it was had to have come in from somewhere so moving toward the gunfire would at least point them in the right direction. He listened for a few more moments before he steeled his nerves and slid out of the room. Peter crept toward the gunfire. He could curse himself later if it meant he had wasted time.

* * *

The volleys were getting closer as he moved and Peter was starting to hear indiscriminate shouting. But it wasn't the talking that caught his attention, his eyes widened in surprise when he saw something he recognized. There was what he now recognized to be a floor number and symbol of some kind on the perpendicular hallway ahead of them, and it clicked that Peter had noticed that symbol when he had been studying the camera near the staircase. He felt hope flare again, they were going to get out of here. He couldn't stop himself as he started talking again, "See that, dad? We're close to the staircase, we're almost out." Picking up the pace while still mindful of the dangers, Peter skittered toward the exit.

As he got closer to the corner, the indiscriminate voices started to differentiate. For a moment, Peter thought he was hurt worse than he initially thought because he could have sworn he heard a voice he recognized. He shook his head to clear the thought and kept moving. It wasn't until he was a few steps from the corner that the voice almost forced him to his knees. It was soft and confident, but he could hear it clearly, "…Steve, they should be down here somewhere."

"Ms. Romanoff?" Peter whispered loudly, speaking a little quieter to the unconscious man still in his arms, "Dad, I think its Ms. Romanoff, we're going to get out of here, just hold on a little longer." All caution forgotten, he careened around the corner when he heard that and as he rounded the corner he saw the backs of five of the Avengers. He was momentarily speechless and could only listen to Steve's response, "Shh…did you hear that? Was that…" Steve's voice echoed a bit off the walls as he looked carefully, turning on his heel in Peter's direction. The others followed closely. It was possible to see the registration on each of their faces but Natasha was the first to whisper, "Peter?" Her voice betrayed her surprise and she started moving a half a heartbeat after she said it.

"Yah…" Peter felt tears well in his eyes as he clutched Tony a little tighter and hurried toward them. "Thank god," he breathed out as he reached her first. They were safe. The other four followed close on Natasha's heels but while she met Peter halfway, Steve, Bucky, Sam, and Clint kept moving, setting up a small perimeter around them. Peter felt like crying as he looked up at Natasha, but seeing his teammates bolstered his courage and he kept the tears in check.

Natasha paused in front of him for a moment before she tugged carefully at Peter's chin, turning his head to the side so she could get a better look at the bruising and dried blood that still splattered his face. When she was satisfied he was still in one piece, she glanced down at Tony, "What happened?" She asked quietly, meeting his eyes.

Peter responded unconsciously, "They wanted him to tell them who Spider-Man was." He surprised himself with what he actually revealed.

Natasha could see the war in Peter's eyes. He was guilty, angry, terrified. Still she needed him focused so she gave him a small smile, "Sounds like your dad, he's always been stubborn." She knew the real reason Tony refused to say anything and so did Peter, there was no benefit to her rubbing it in.

Peter didn't know why the comment made him feel better, but it did. He clutched his dad a little tighter and felt a little more determined, "We should go…" His voice was a bit more even than he thought it would be. Still, he couldn't help but look nervously over her shoulder before glancing back toward the others.

"Yes, we should. Steve…" she called to the soldier posted at the end of the hallway. As he jogged back toward them, she held his eye and continued definitively, "we have to go. He's in bad shape."

Steve stopped in front of them and after a glance at Tony, he agreed. Then Steve scrutinized Peter, taking in the bruises on his face and combining it with the obvious treatment Tony had gotten, the horrific reality occurred to him. Steve almost felt sick asking, "Are you sure you can carry him, Peter?"

Peter realized what he was asking, knew how he must have looked and so he nodded quickly, managing to keep his voice steady again as he answered, "I can. And I don't want to keep shifting him around. He's too hurt right now for that to be safe." Peter heard voices converging in one of the hallways near them and his spider senses were becoming almost painful to his already pounding head. Meeting both their eyes, he insisted, "They're coming. We need to go."

Steve looked over at Natasha, urgency clear in his tone, "Go. Get them to the jet, we'll take care of the people down here." She gave a hard nod before she turned back to Peter, "Come on, we're leaving." She pressed carefully on his shoulder to move him toward the stairs before stepping in front of him and leading him up.

Steve had seen the strain on Peter's face and it only took him a minute to choose to err on the side of caution. After the two started up the stairs, Steve raised his voice, ordering, "Clint, go with them." The three at the end of the hall jogged back to where Steve was standing and Clint continued passed, following through on the order. But as he darted passed, Steve reached out and tapped his arm, forcing Clint to a stop. When the sharpshooter looked back at him, Steve lowered his voice, "Peter's more banged up than he's willing to say, stay close to them, make sure no one gets near them, and make sure Peter doesn't need help." Clint gave a nod as his expression hardened into something infinitely more threatening. As he took off up the stairs, Steve looked over at Sam too, "Actually, Sam, why don't you go with him? Make sure they get back and then come find us."

"Got it, Cap." Sam replied but before he was out of sight, Steve called back up to him, "Sam, hold on." He took a few steps up the stairs, "Tell Natasha that if Tony or Peter get worse to leave. We'll make it back to the Compound on our own if we have to. They're the priority."

Sam studied his expression for a moment before he saw and understood the conviction in the order, "I'll tell her and I'll make sure to come back if they leave." Without waiting for an answer, he took off up the stairs after them.

Bucky stepped up, his rifle shouldered, and clapped Steve on the shoulder, "Ready to take care of this?"

"Yah," Steve answered through gritted teeth, "let's end this." Both turned to face the opposite hallway as the sound of booted feet clapped against the concrete.

* * *

Peter walked carefully, following Natasha up the narrow stairs. He wanted to feel annoyed as she kept glancing back at him but realized that he was also a little thankful for the attention. His dad was getting heavier with every exhausted step he took but he couldn't let go.

As they walked, he saw a scattered three bodies and realized these were the shots he had heard as he was getting Tony out. But when they reached a landing there were a few bodies collapsed haphazardly in the corners. As Peter stepped passed them, he couldn't stop the morbid practice of recognition. Three of the people he had never seen before, meaning they were probably the reinforcements. Then he glanced toward a man who was crumpled at the foot of the stairs leading up to the last level. Peter stopped immediately. It was Brad. His vacant eyes were staring up at the ceiling above him as his gun lay across his still chest. Peter couldn't help but stare. Couldn't help but gaze at his tormentor. But he didn't feel…anything. No exhilaration, or relief, or even sympathy. He just felt indifferent. Then he realized another emotion was just too heavy a weight to hold. He could not physically or mentally bear the weight of empathy for a man who had hurt them so badly and continue to carry his dad. So he chose Tony. His face was a blank mask as he gingerly stepped passed him.

But Clint seemed to notice his hesitation. He slipped beside Peter and whispered in his ear, "Was he one of them?"

Peter just nodded, still unable to verbally acknowledge it. He glanced back once more over his shoulder before he kept moving.

* * *

The trip back to the quinjet only took about five minutes, even moving as slowly as they were to allow Peter a chance to keep up. It just reiterated the fact that this was not a large facility. As the quinjet came into sight, Peter faltered but forced himself to hold on, unable to let go just yet. He barely even noticed when Sam turned and took off back down the stairs because seeing the inside of the jet, Peter found a new burst of strength and hurried up the ramp. He darted immediately to one of the beds near the cockpit.

Stepping up next to him, Natasha and Clint helped Peter sit Tony up against the wall of the quinjet and didn't question it when Peter sat down beside him. Natasha gently hooked Tony up to an IV and some monitoring equipment. Clint handed Peter a couple of blankets which he quickly used to cover Tony before curling he hands into his own blanket and resting shoulder to shoulder with his dad. Suddenly, everything that had happened slammed into him. All the exhaustion, terror, and pain. It was incredibly draining and left him feeling like he was paradoxically floating and leaden at the same time. And it was surprisingly lonely because the only person who could really understand and make it okay was unconscious. Suddenly the loneliness became suffocating. Instinctively, Peter grabbed ahold of Tony's hand as he glanced anywhere but the faces of the two conscious people with him. For a moment, he hesitated before dropping his head onto Tony's shoulder. He didn't want to show the weakness but his desperate need for contact won out. He closed his eyes as he breathed as deep as he could, the slight twinge of his ribs letting him know when it was too much. He scrunched his eyes closed a little tighter as the pain hit him again. But even that couldn't dampen the hope growing in his chest.

Natasha hesitantly perched on the edge of the bed. Her keen attention was split between studying the pair and watching as Clint pulled the medical pad open and started scrolling through the information. His brow furrowed the farther down he read and she couldn't help but look back to the pair on the bed. Tony was pale and little of his skin was clear of bruises and swelling, he had obviously taken the worst of it. But she bristled as she glanced over Peter. The youngest Avenger was exhausted, even with his eyes closed, Natasha could tell he hadn't been sleeping and even though the injuries were older, his face was still badly bruised. For a split second, she was almost disappointed that she was staying with them and not dealing with the people behind this. Still, it didn't matter. This was what was important right now. That and figuring out what the hell had happened. Knowing she needed at least a little explanation, Natasha coughed slightly when neither one of the two on the bed reacted to her prolonged scrutiny. Even then, all Peter did was turn his head slightly toward her, his hooded eyes downcast for a moment before he finally looked up.

Peter knew that Ms. Romanoff had sat down on the bed, her grace barely moved the thin mattress but he noticed. Still he couldn't look and purposely kept his eyes closed. But eventually, she coughed and he knew that it was time for him to at least try to fill her in. As he squinted his eyes open, he could feel the tears burn and for as badly as he wanted to swipe them away, he didn't have the energy anymore. His body hurt. His mind was screaming at him. But more than anything, his heart was broken. Peter just stared at her and clutched Tony's hand a little tighter under the blanket.

"Peter?" Natasha asked quietly, leaning in slightly as she tried to convince him to talk.

Peter swallowed hard, but after a few tense moments, he answered, "Yes, Ms. Romanoff." Part of him was hoping she would just leave him alone but the larger part of him knew she wouldn't and in his heart he knew she shouldn't.

"How many times have I told you to call me Natasha?" She asked with a soft smile, trying to bring some levity to a situation that had very little to even hint at. She dropped it when Peter murmured a quiet apology.

"No, I'm sorry Peter," she said with a ferocious whisper, the secondary meaning clear in her tone. She paused for a moment until Peter looked back up at her before she continued, "I know you probably don't want to talk much but I have to ask you a few questions." She waited for him to nod, then she continued, "How many people did you see?"

"Four," Peter started quietly before he added, "but Jeff said he was going to bring in reinforcements so I'm not sure how many there are now."

Natasha immediately knew the answer to her next question but still asked just in case she was wrong. She made sure to keep her voice soft and understanding, "And Jeff is?"

Peter's face crumpled at the question but his only reaction was to scoot impossibly closer to Tony, "The man who wanted to know about Spider-Man, the man who did this."

"Do you know his last name?" Natasha maintained her cool exterior but she could feel the anger swirling in her gut at the affirmation .

Peter shook his head carefully against Tony's shoulder, "I don't think that's his real name, just the name he gave us. He called the others Rick, Brad, and Danny."

She filed that information away before she asked one last question, "What else did he tell you?"

Peter quietly told her everything that he knew about the reasons why they were doing it and everything that he knew about the men that had held them. It didn't take long and the whole time all he wanted was to stop. To rest. But there was still one more thing he desperately needed to know. He waited patiently for her questions to end before he met her eye once more and whispered the only thing he really cared about, "Is my dad going to be okay?" He hated how childish he sounded but ultimately, it didn't matter because he couldn't take not knowing.

Natasha's bristling anger turned into simmering rage as she met Peter's eye, seeing the fear and desperation there, but she hid her own rage and answered confidently, "Of course he will be, Peter. We're going to make sure he is." She watched him nod and was a little concerned when she didn't see the normal spark of belief in his eyes. She couldn't help the frown that crossed her face as she looked between the two and whispered to Peter, "Why don't you try to get some sleep? I'm going to be here and Clint is going to stay on the door just in case."

Peter didn't respond but he couldn't help the fear that came with that suggestion. His mind started to spin as he thought about sleeping. What if he closed his eyes and when he woke up, this was all a dream? What if he was just unconscious and sleeping would cause him to wake up back in that room? But that he could not explain to Natasha so he pretended to listen and closed his eyes but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. Instead, he tried to relax as best he could as he took in the sounds around him.

* * *

After Peter closed his eyes, Natasha watched him for a minute before she stood and moved over to Clint. Tugging on his elbow, she pulled him just out of the quinjet, "How are they?"

Clint shook his head sadly, "Honestly, Nat, neither one of them is doing okay but Tony's worse off than Peter. It looks like they took a sledgehammer to his chest." He pulled up the scan on the pad before he continued, "He's going to be down for a while after this one."

Natasha leaned forward over his shoulder and scrolled through the medical pad herself, hissing "shit" under her breath as her own brow furrowed while she took in the information. Once she had read enough, she looked up and whispered, "Should we leave?"

Clint gave a one-armed shrug but spoke with more confidence than that motion suggested, "If they're not back in the next five to ten minutes, yah we should, but if what Peter was saying and these scans are accurate, they were concerned about keeping him alive. He'll be in pain but he'll heal." Clint affirmed her concern but at the same time made her feel a bit better about the decision.

Then she felt the lump in her throat as she asked, "What about Peter?"

Clint's dejected look deepened, "He took some punishment too but it looks like he's been able to heal a bit, so he's not in danger right now. His most recent injury looks like…" he paused as he scrolled a bit more, "his forearm is broken in two places."

Natasha felt a little sick and allowed it to show on her face, "We let him carry Tony."

"Nat," Clint looked at her seriously, "I more concerned about that fact that he doesn't seem to know his arm is broken than I am that he carried Tony back here."

Both of them glanced toward the jet as they processed the information. Natasha knew that Clint always worried about the younger Avengers a bit more than they probably wanted, but she always chalked that up to his parental instincts. Now she was thinking it was honed intuition she had never learned. Still, she was not a fan of Peter's current behavior and Tony's persistent unconsciousness so she raised her hand to her mic, "Steve, how much longer do you need?"

His voice came back quickly but with a little breathiness, "We're almost cleared down here. Do you need to leave?"

Natasha realized they were still fighting and she tried to keep it brief, "We have a small window but we have to go soon."

Bucky jumped into the conversation, his own quickened breathing underscoring the fight, "We're clear down here."

The coms went quiet for a moment before Steve responded again, "On our way up. We're bringing four guests."

"Got it," Clint responded before Natasha and in a fluid motion, clapped her on the shoulder on his hurried way back into the jet. _Probably headed for the cockpit,_ Natasha thought to herself before she followed, moving back to her position on the bed with the medical pad balanced on her knee as she continued to monitor the health of her two patients.

* * *

Natasha was still sitting on the bed, listening carefully to the hum of the powerful engines and the intermittently hitched breathing of her two charges when she heard Steve, Bucky, and Sam march four men into the back of the quinjet. The clambering of boots pulled her reluctant attention away from Peter and Tony but as her eyes locked on the four prisoners, her anger flared uncontrollably. Without thinking, she swiftly stood and stalked over. The four prisoners stopped mid-stride as she became an immovable object in front of them. She glared discerningly at the four before snarling, "Which one of you is Jeff?"

"I am," the tall man in the middle glared down at her with sharp, narrowed eyes. He squared his shoulders the best he could against the cuffs and held her intimidating gaze. Without another word, she stepped close and smirked up at him, turning her head sideways as she analyzed him. Then in a flash, she lashed out. She slammed her fist into his stomach, and when he doubled over in surprise, she brought her fist down into his temple. He dropped awkwardly, his face hitting the metal grate of the jet when he couldn't brace his fall. She glanced between the other three prisoners as Jeff groaned on the ground, unable to push himself up and just dazed enough to feel incredibly uncomfortable. She turned on her heel without another word.

The Avengers watched mostly with indifference as Natasha turned back toward the pair and took up her place perched on the edge of the bed. As if needing to do something with the extra energy, she pulled the blanket slightly higher around Peter's shoulders and tucked the teenager in more fully before she carefully combed her hand through his hair a few times. Her shoulders were visibly tensed but she did not turn around again.

The abruptness of the end of the confrontation seemed to have frozen the room until Sam broke the tension. He raised his voice a bit as the ramp began closing behind them, "I'm guessing he was the one behind this?" He glanced at Natasha's back and when she was not forthcoming with an answer, he looked to the other Avengers but no one acknowledged his question. Instead Steve gave another order, "Get them in the back. It won't be a long flight, but we'll need to watch them and I don't want them up here." He didn't explain whether it was for the safety of the men or for Peter and Tony's wellbeing. Sam shrugged and roughly pushed the men who were still standing toward the back of the jet. Bucky leaned over and violently yanked Jeff off the floor. The man yelped as his shoulder abruptly dislocated but Bucky just shoved him forward, ignoring the man's stumbling steps as he tried to keep his balance. The seven disappeared to the back as the jet lifted off.

Peter listened as the rest of the Avengers brought what was left of their captors onto the jet. He almost recoiled when he heard Jeff's voice but after only a short exchange, he heard the heavy thump of a body hitting the metal floor and he almost opened his eyes but remembered he was supposed to be sleeping. Still, even without looking, it didn't take him long to figure out what happened when he felt Natasha sit back down on the bed and tuck the blanket more fully around him. But what really caught him off guard was the realization that she was shaking slightly. Her fingers shook as she pressed them into his hair and Peter again felt guilty as he recognized that was partially his fault. Still, it was comforting to know that Natasha and the others were there. It still wasn't enough to let him sleep but it made him feel a bit more secure. He listened to the world around him and felt some weight lifted off his chest as the engines finally roared completely to life. Peter pushed closer to Tony, curling more fully into his side.

They were finally going home.

* * *

 **So there you have it! They finally made it out and are on their way home. Now they have to figure out how to deal with the aftermath.**

 **I hope this lived up to your expectations! Feel free to let me know what you thought in the reviews.**

 **I hope you have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	9. Chapter 9

**It seems like the weekend is really my time to update.**

 **Hello everyone!**

 **Here's another chapter for my lovely readers! I have loved reading your reviews and I'm glad that you're still enjoying the course the story needs to take. Thank you a thousand times to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed. You guys are definitely a part of the reason why I keep writing, that and I absolutely love these characters! You are wonderful and please don't stop being you.**

 **Thank you to: the fabulous Indigene Syke - they are finally out and I'm so glad you appreciated that story element, its one of those things that I like to include because it matures they're dynamic (in my mind at least) :); the wonderful LightNote 19 - I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!; the awesome HHaines - thank you as well for catching the Peter element, I'm glad you liked that and there is an answer to that question, I promise :); the enthusiastic skydancer121 - You're comments always make me laugh and thank you so much for saying that :); the fantastic perplexion08 - here's the next update for you, I hope it lives up to your expectations!; the fantabulous carajiggirl - I love aftermath stuff! It definitely makes initial set-up more interesting and challenging to write so I'm glad you enjoy it!**

 **Also, total side note - just saw Captain Marvel...it's amazing and I loved it!**

 **So without further ado, here's the next chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Jeff sat down heavily on his bed. That damned man had not given him anything more than what he had already promised him and Jeff was beginning to feel like the only way he was going to get what he wanted from Stark was to use Peter. A course of action he knew Danny would hate and a decision that might drive him away. Jeff swiped his hand down his face before rubbing the back of his neck and messing up his short hair. No win scenarios had been easier when he was not the one calling the shots. After a few minutes of contemplation, his radio crackled to life, Brad's hurried voice echoed clearly in his room, "They've breached the perimeter."

Without explanation, Jeff knew exactly who it was and he scrubbed his hands through his hair once more before he screamed, "Dammit!" They were meant to be away by now, Stark was meant to have given him what he wanted a week ago. Instead, time was up. Jeff held the back of his head for a moment more before he threw his hands forward and grabbed his gun off the table. He slammed his walkie onto his belt and listened as Brad continued calling out locations, "We're pulling back to the first subfloor."

Pulling on his boots, he tore open the door and took off down the hallway. A thought hit him and for a moment he hesitated, trying to figure out if he should get to the monitoring room or trying to head them off at one of the other choke points. Ultimately, he knew there was probably no way they could beat any number of the Avengers but maybe he could get a few men to grab Stark and Peter? Stark had to still be unconscious and Peter had been pretty pliable when a gun was involved, maybe they could get them out. He decided on the latter course of action and took off toward the back entrance to the stairs. Unfortunately, Brad's voice cut through his sprinted musings, "Rogers, Romanoff, Barton, and Wilson for sure. Think Barnes might be around here somewhere but I lost him." Before he released the call button on the walkie, the sound of gunfire cut through the feed. The loud, rattling pops of rounds brought back terrible memories but worse was the vivid reminder that shot through his consciousness. Jeff pushed himself into a faster run, he needed to find someone else.

* * *

It took him a precious handful of minutes to find Rick, Danny, and the reinforcements Danny had organized in the back of the warehouse. He couldn't help the glimpse of success that he saw on the horizon when he saw the organization. Without needing to announce himself, Jeff started snapping orders as soon as he was close enough, "Rick, take four of them and see what you can do about getting Stark and Peter out of here. Take them to his tertiary safe house. Stay on the coms, let me know when you're clear." Orders issued, Jeff didn't acknowledge when Rick and his team took off, instead paying attention to Danny and the others, he explained, "We're going to buy them time. This isn't over yet we're going to keep them in our possession." He paused for a split second while he gathered his thoughts, "We can't beat them but we can hold them off. We're going to try to flank them, it'll take longer to get in position but it will give us an advantage." He thought about splitting the men but realized that upped the chance of them being cut to ribbons if they happened upon the Avengers too early, so he decided to keep the meager force together for now.

The group set off at a jog and Jeff couldn't help but hope that the Avengers had not earned too much with their surprise attack. As they moved closer to where Brad had said they were coming down from, he moved to turn down the walkie at his waist when it crackled to life. Rick's voice was gradually lowered as Jeff turned down the volume just loud enough to pick up the words, "They're not here."

It took his mind a moment to understand the implications of that statement because he had bet everything this would work. When his short statement permeated his focus, Jeff came to a painful stop, his front leg over-extended as shock froze his forward momentum and as he stumbled to a stop. Agitation driving him, he slammed the talk button, "What the hell are you talking about? Did they get them already?"

Rick replied immediately in his almost bored monotone, "They're not in the rooms. I don't know how they got out but it looked like at least the lock outside of the kid's door was broken from the inside."

Jeff didn't have a time to figure out what that meant so instead he snarled into the coms, "Fine. Head up and to the left, get eyes on them but don't engage until we're in place."

"Got it." Was the clipped response.

Jeff snarled as the walkie went silent again. He couldn't help the loss, frustration, and overwhelming anger that settled like a weight on his mind, they didn't have anything left. He pushed himself back into a run, if they could catch Stark and Peter there was still a chance.

* * *

As they finally got into position, there were only two of the Avengers in the hall, the stairs at their back. From even his vantage point, it was possible to make out the bulky forms of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. Exasperated anger clouded his mind as he came to a singular conclusion, if there were only two left, Tony and Peter were already gone. Brad had called out five Avengers. If he was Rogers, he would have sent the others with Stark and Peter too. That exasperation hardened into furious, directed wrath. God, he hated them. Readying himself for a fight, he turned purposefully toward his men and gave a few silent directions. Hoping to use the clash to bring Danny and the other into the fray, he gave the command to push headlong toward them. There wasn't anything left to do. If he and his men could deal with these two and then somehow make it to their transportation, there was still a chance. Unfortunately, as Jeff closed in, he saw his rage reflected in the stances and expressions of the supersoldiers. They wanted blood.

* * *

For a respectable time, Jeff and his men held their own against the supersoldiers. For the most part, they had the same combat knowledge, but they weren't as strong. One by one, Jeff's men went down, hard.

At one point, there was a sharp snap of bone as he saw Barnes dump Sam's limp body to the floor at his feet.

Rogers's slammed his foot into Rick's chest and for a split second Jeff flashed back to Stark as he cried out in pain. Rick dropped and didn't move to get back up.

Jeff knew they were going to lose. Then the whine of small engines drew their attention to the stairs as Falcon appeared. With his appearance, one of the men left standing threw up his hands followed begrudgingly by Danny and Jeff.

* * *

Jeff looked around as the Avengers patted them down and bound their hands, of the five men on the ground, at least four were dead. Rick was groaning with his hands clutched over his chest. Rogers wasn't particularly kind with him as he wrenched his arms behind his back and slipped the cuffs around his wrists. Then they started to shove them up the stairs.

It didn't take them long to make it to the jet and as they stepped inside he immediately started to take stock of their situation. He saw Stark and Peter on one of the medical beds toward the front of the jet, Barton was in the pilot's seat and the engine was winding up. But it was the motion of Romanoff that caught his attention. She stalked toward them, radiating vindictiveness and anger that was almost palpable and he involuntarily stopped in front of her. The others followed his lead. Then she asked about him and he made the mistake of answering.

Jeff had been hit many times in his life and normally he was able to take the hit and remain standing but as her fist slammed into his stomach he felt even his consciousness skip a beat and he couldn't help but double over. Then she connected with his temple and he couldn't stay standing. Jeff saw the floor coming up fast but he wasn't able to stop his decent, feeling the bite of cold metal as his fall was broken by his face. He grunted in pain but, with his arms tied behind him, he couldn't push himself back up. He just laid there. The Avengers started talking but he couldn't summon enough focus to understand it and instead he waited until one of them yanked him up hard by one of his bound arms. The motion was rough enough to pop his shoulder out of place and he couldn't help but yell in pain as he was bodily put on his feet and forced forward. Jeff tried to think and walk but he couldn't do both so instead, he absentmindedly put one foot in front of the other because he knew if he fell again, he would get no mercy. And as the reality started to sink in, he couldn't help the voice in the back of his mind that told him maybe he deserved it.

They led them away from where Stark and Peter were, into a back corner of the surprisingly large jet. Rogers stepped into his space and stared down at him. Jeff was used to being taller than most people so to have to look up at the imposing form of Captain America was disconcerting. Still he held his hard gaze and waited for whatever was going to happen.

* * *

Steve had spent a good portion of the trip home trying to get the men to answer at least one of his questions but there were limits to what he was willing to do with their victims so close. He was afraid of waking Tony and Peter or somehow making what they had already been through worse. Frustrated, Steve stepped into the sitting area closer to the cockpit. Glancing around, he saw Natasha still perched on the end of the bed that he now realized Peter and Tony were sharing. Clint was in the pilot's seat and Sam was sitting next to him. He noticed that Sam was awkwardly twisted in the co-pilot's seat, his attention split between the pair and the controls. Steve had left Bucky behind to deal with their prisoners while he figured out the next course of action. Touching Natasha's shoulder, he whispered, "I need to talk to you." Then he gestured for her to move a bit away from the bed.

As soon as he felt they were far enough away, Steve quietly asked, "Do we know what they wanted?" Steve could see the barely hidden fury in her eyes and he was a bit disquieted by the fact that it hadn't dissipated yet. He expected it from the others, knew that there was about a fifty-fifty chance that when he went back into the back that Jeff's other shoulder would be dislocated and there would be at least one unconscious person on the ground, but Natasha was normally the calm one.

She quickly filled Steve in on everything Peter had told her but before the facts could sink in, she followed up immediately, "Did they tell you anything?"

Steve frowned as he shook his head, then he offered up the summary of his efforts, "Out of his name and some intermittent curses, they haven't said much. I was hoping Peter could give us some more insight. If he's awake."

Natasha laid her hand on Steve's arm and steered him toward the back of the quinjet, lowering her voice even farther, "I don't think Peter's asleep," she hissed under her breath as way of an explanation. Then she continued, confidence offering no space for discussion, "but that's not a good idea. He's not going to leave Tony's side anytime soon and I don't want to try to make him."

Steve glanced over at her shoulder to where Peter was still tucked carefully against Tony before he spoke, "He doesn't have to move. It won't take long and we can be quiet. Tony looks pretty out of it." As soon as the suggestion left his mouth Steve wanted to shove it back in, he couldn't believe he had just said that.

Natasha shook her head as she tried to explain, "He's exhausted. We shouldn't push him right now because I have a feeling he's been pushed to his limit for the last two weeks." She paused as she watched the sickened look on Steve's face at his suggestion, she understood the pain that went along with asking for information when someone was not ready for it. Trying to give him a chance to catch up and dissipate some of the awkwardness, she continued, "He's never had to deal with anything like this. He feels guilty for something. I'm assuming some of that is because they wanted to know Spider-Man's identity but there's more to it and I haven't figured it out yet. He's frightened." She glanced back over her shoulder, "I mean look at him, when have you ever seen him that clingy?" Natasha saw Steve look over at Peter and Tony again before his face fell. She understood the feeling.

Steve felt his stomach twist as he stared hard at the objects of their discussion. Natasha was right, as she usually was and he murmured, "Never." He paused for a moment before he redirected his gaze, "And of course, we can wait. There's no reason to ask him right now, I was just thinking the more information we had the better." As he met Natasha's eyes again, he couldn't help but growl, "They're not going anywhere." It had been a long time since Steve had felt this level of contained rage and profound guilt, it had taken too long to find Tony and Peter and seeing the outcome of that failure was grating on his nerves. Finally, he could help but ask in a hushed grizzle, "What happened to them?"

Natasha shrugged but her small voice held a similar level of anger to his own as she tried to explain, "I'm not sure. Peter doesn't want to talk and Tony's probably going to be unconscious at least until we get back to the Compound. If I'm judging on how Peter's acting, they probably kept them apart for most of the time. From what Peter said, Jeff was pretty focused on Tony so they must have forgotten about him. It would explain why his injuries are old and why he's so desperate to be close to Tony. But that doesn't explain why they took him in the first place…" Natasha trailed off as her eyes wandered back to the pair on the bed, her eyes hardening and her voice icy when she finally looked back at Steve, "There are only a few people who know the truth…I could talk to Jeff if you want me too."

Steve could see the hunger in her eyes. Something about their treatment had Natasha rattled which made him nervous. But he didn't have long to contemplate it because Peter's quiet panic cut through his thoughts and demanded his attention.

* * *

Peter stayed curled into Tony's side even as his body started to cramp and his chest started to burn. He ignored the pain. He pressed his head more fully into Tony's shoulder as he listened carefully to his breathing and heartbeat, afraid that something was going to happen. For a good portion of the trip, nothing did. Tony slept on as Peter listened, catching the occasional shout and thump from where he knew Jeff and the others were. Eventually, he heard heavy footfalls emerge from the back of the plane. That sparked his paranoid attention. He forced all his hyper-attentiveness into identifying their owner and ensuring it wasn't Jeff or one of the others. The hairs on the back of Peter's neck rose but he didn't feel the same tingling that normally accompanied his spider sense so he kept his eyes closed even while his body tensed, ready to deal with anyone who stepped close to his dad. Then he heard Steve's voice. The tension rapidly released, the exhausting drain of adrenaline leaving him caused him to slump even farther into Tony's side. Apparently, Steve wanted to talk to Natasha because Peter felt the mattress shift slightly under them as she stood. Her quieter footfalls snapped against the metal floor as Steve's heavier boots lead her away. They didn't go too far.

Peter stopped giving his full attention to the pair but his ears pricked up as he heard his and Tony's names intermittently but outside of that attention, he tried not to listen. Mostly because he really didn't care what they were saying. Instead, he focused on the only thing he really had the energy for. The longer he listened, the more aware he became of how wrong Tony's breathing sounded. It was hitched and shallow like he was in pain but there was an altogether heavier element to it, like a weight was sitting on his chest and compressing his lungs. Then the hair on the back of Peter's neck stood on end again. It took him a moment to react but when he did, he couldn't help himself as he scrambled away from Tony as the pattern of his breathing changed, sounding more wet and even more painful.

"Dad?" Peter called, panic clear as his voice cut through the nearly silent jet like a bell on a still night. His voice rose a few octaves as he continued, "Dad. Wake up, you have to wake up." Peter was gripped by an overwhelming terror as he sat up and pressed lightly on Tony's shoulder trying to get his attention without hurting him. Tony groaned but didn't wake.

Natasha and Steve turned immediately as they heard Peter's panicked question. They took a quick look at each other before sprinting the best they could toward them. Natasha almost fell onto the bed while Steve reached for the medical pad sitting in the overhead bin. He called it up, trying to figure out what was happening. Natasha turned to Peter and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? What's going on?" Her eyes raked over Tony's heaving form like he could tell her what he needed.

Peter didn't know why he was concerned he just knew he needed to be, "I don't know…I just know he needs help. I…I'm not sure why."

Steve cut through the disjointed panic of the other two, his strong voice demanding focus, "There's liquid in his lungs…but I don't think its too bad…"

Peter whipped toward Steve, tears in his eyes and his voice frantic, as he demanded action, "What do we do? How do we help?"

Steve frowned as he looked back down at the screen and hesitantly answered, "I don't think we can right now Peter, we'll be home soon and once we get there, they'll be able to help him."

But Peter was not ready for that to be the answer and his frantic voice took on a hard edge when he answered, "We can't just leave him like this. We have to do something." He sat up on his knees and flicked his hard eyes up at Steve, the challenge and protectiveness clear in his face.

None of it matter though because Tony made the decision for the three of them when he groaned and his gravely voice choked out, "Pete?"

Peter turned away from Steve and practically dove back to Tony's side, "I'm here. I'm here, dad." He laid his hand on Tony's shoulder.

Tony glanced sideways to Peter before he felt the overwhelming urge to cough and for a moment he fought it because he knew how much it was going to hurt. Unfortunately, like any time a person tried to fight a cough, it just made it worse when it finally escaped. And it did escape. Tony lost the little control he had and started coughing hard, curling tightly over his broken chest as he felt Peter jump beside him.

Peter knew as soon as Tony started coughing that it was going to be terrible. He didn't know what to do to help though so he just curled up close, laid his head against Tony's shoulder blade, and wrapped his arms around him. He squeezed his eyes shut as he held Tony tightly until the coughing fit finally subsided and the man slumped forward, exhausted. Peter looked up then, and from his place over Tony's shoulder, he saw the blood splattered on Tony's hand. "Dad…" he groaned as he watched Tony wipe the sticky redness onto his already ruined pants.

"It's fine, Pete." Tony grimaced as he said it because he knew he wasn't alright but he didn't want to worry his son more than he obviously already had. It was only then that his sluggish mind registered where they were. When he saw Natasha at the foot of the bed and Steve standing just above him, his eyes widened in shock and surprise, but "Hey…" was all he managed to get out before his stiff lungs rebelled against talking and he groaned against the pain.

Peter's frantic voice took over, ordering, "Stop talking. You shouldn't be talking, Captain Rodgers said you have fluid in your lungs so you should just rest and stop talking." Peter referenced Steve but didn't seem to realize he was actually still on the jet.

Tony coughed singularly before he ground out, "'no you're repeatin' 'self right, Pete?"

Peter scoffed at the comment, before he retorted, "I know I am but you never listen so I have to." The statement felt closer to normal but that feeling only lasted for a moment before Tony groaned again and Peter immediately wrapped his arm more tightly around him and laid his head back into Tony's shoulder.

Tony felt Peter slip back into the crook of his shoulder that was quickly becoming his safe spot and he dipped his head sideways far enough to lay his cheek in Peter's hair. Unfortunately, that's about all the activity he had energy for and he whispered, "'m gonna pass back out Pete. Don't move." He felt Peter nod into his shoulder again but before the darkness closed back in, he offered a quick thought to the presence of Steve and Natasha and the quinjet. It at least felt like they were finally out but that's all the farther he got before his senses shut down.

Peter resolved to stay exactly where he was until they made it back to the Compound or Tony woke up again. He glanced up at Steve and Natasha but wasn't sure what to say so he didn't. He let his exhausted eyes slip closed again as he returned his attention to Tony.

Steve and Natasha glanced at each other again before Steve turned and headed back to their prisoners and Natasha settled back into her place on the bed, pulling the blankets more fully around the prone pair. The rest of the flight passed in a tense silence broken only by Tony's harsh, wet breaths.

* * *

As they landed on the pad outside the Complex, Clint powered down the engines and opened the ramp. As it started to lower, the heads of the medical teams were visible against the light streaming inside. The ramp was not even completely down as the teams swarmed in but they slowed down as they saw the scene before them. Natasha stood carefully and stepped to Peter's side, laying her hand on his shoulder and leaning close, "Peter, we're here. We're at the facility. You need to let go so the medics can do their job." She gently tugged on his arm and for a moment she felt him resist until his eyes popped open. His eyes flicked around and as he recognized the medics for medics, he untangled his arm from Tony. Once he was free, Natasha pulled him away and led him to the other side of the quinjet so the medics could work.

They gently but firmly pulled Tony onto a gurney and wheeled him into the facility. Peter followed immediately, leaving Natasha and Clint to follow. Once the others were clear, Steve, Bucky, and Sam led their new captives out.

Peter heard the engines power down and he couldn't help the wave of relief that flooded through his system. If this was a dream, it was an impressively detailed one, and one he definitely did not want to wake up from. He tightened his arm around Tony's back and pressed his head more firmly into his shoulder because he had been in this situation enough times to know what was coming next. They were going to take his dad away from him again. But at least this time it would be to help him. It would suck but it was for a good reason. Still, the impending separation made Peter a little sick to his stomach.

He was so preoccupied with his swirling thoughts that Natasha's presence at his side surprised him. For a moment, he tugged his dad closer until he forced himself to open his eyes. He saw the medics in their scrubs and the gurney waiting between them and knew he had to let go. He let Natasha lead him away from the bed and over to the wall. She kept her arm wrapped around his shoulders and it helped to keep him grounded as he watched them lay his dad back on the bed before moving him onto the gurney. The easy way they were manipulating him made Peter's stomach clench but he forced himself to watch. Once they had him strapped in, they rushed away. Clint stepped behind him and Natasha but once the gurney touched the grass, Peter started to move. He twisted out of Natasha's hold and took off after the med team. Natasha and Clint followed at a sprint.

* * *

It only took him about thirty minutes to be told to do what he already planned on doing, resting.

His injuries were already well on their way to healing, the only problem was his arm and it was easily set and casted. The doctor told him it would probably only be on for a few days before it was healed enough to remove. He was lead to one of the private rooms, something about wanting to keep him under observation just in case, where they gave him an iv and some food. The nurse was nice enough but she didn't have an answer when he asked about his dad. Instead she just gave him a small smile and told him she would try to find out. Then she left and Peter was left in the silence of his room.

Peter sat quietly. He wasn't sure how long but he sat long enough for the silence to become oppressive and monotonous. He wanted to know how his dad was. In the back of his mind, he knew he could ask FRIDAY but he was afraid of what she would tell him. He thought about asking her to play music or something on TV but he couldn't think of anything he really wanted and so he elected for nothing. He wanted information not mindless distraction. But the longer he sat, the more agitated he became, he needed someone here. He wanted May, or Pepper, or even just Karen but he the voice in the back of his mind reminded him that he really just wanted Tony because it would mean he was alright. Instead, no one was there there, which left him twisting his fingers in increasingly painful patterns.

Then the door opened.

Peter sat up, hoping it was a doctor but only partially deflating when he saw the Avengers. As one, Steve, Natasha, Clint, Sam, and Bucky made their way into the room. They clustered around his bed, each taking up one of the various chairs in the room, and offering as much silent strength as they could. For the first time since they had found them, Peter felt something other than fear and anger, he felt comfort and protection. He stopped twisting his fingers quite so hard, even if none of the anxiety disappeared and he was still staring mostly at the door. Tearing his attention away he met Steve's gaze and managed to squeak out, "Thank you, Captain Rogers." He didn't expect the tortured expression that crossed the first Avenger's face.

Steve gave a soft half-smile to Peter when he met his eyes but then the kid thanked him. Steve couldn't help the guilt that welled up at that gratitude, in fact, he hated it and he couldn't keep the emotion from his expression as he replied, "Of course, Peter. I'm sorry it took so long."

"'z, okay." Peter replied, before he asked quietly, "Did they tell you anything about my dad? The nurse who helped me didn't know."

"I don't know anything yet either, Peter. I'm sure it won't be too much longer though." Steve answered with honesty, sending up a short prayer that he hadn't just lied to the kid.

Peter nodded in acceptance and went back to staring at the wall across from him, the anxiety of waiting creeping back into his already frayed consciousness.

* * *

 **So there you go! They're finally home but there is going to be some serious emotional issues that are going to have to be unpacked with this. I hope this lived up to your high expectations and that you want to continue reading. Feel free to let me know what you thought in the reviews.**

 **And go see Captain Marvel if you can because it's pretty awesome - not too long until Endgame!**

 **I hope you have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello my awesome readers,**

 **Here's another chapter for you!**

 **Thank you for the favorites and the follows, I really appreciate the support.**

 **And I want to make sure I thank: the amazing Indigene Syke, I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter and you are so wonderful for saying so :); and the awesome c** **arajiggirl, I'm glad that you're enjoying the interactions and the pace of the story, that's always something I toy around with a lot so I'm glad it works for you. I hope you enjoy this chapter too and I'm so glad you loved Captain Marvel! I can't wait until April! I also totally had not thought of that with Carol and Natasha, that would be amazing! Thank you bringing that wonderful idea up and for reading my story!**

 **Here's the next chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It's difficult to feel alone in a room full of people who care deeply about you but as Peter looked around at the Avengers gathered close, he realized none of them knew what had happened. It was more than that though. Peter knew that he could tell any of them. That they would listen, sympathize, and then do what they could to remedy the situation, which in this case would probably mean beating the shit out of someone. But it would also mean that he had to bother someone else with more of his issues. Issues he desperately wanted to talk to Tony about before he brought it up with anyone else. He was already enough of a burden right now that he didn't want to exacerbate the problem. He knew distinctly that there were other things any one of them could be doing but they weren't, they were sitting with him. It was something he was incredibly thankful for but also something he still, after all these years, was not sure he deserved.

Unfortunately, the decision not to confide in anyone intensified Peter's loneliness. As Peter glanced to each member of the collective group, with each face, he felt like he was drifting farther away. The initial comfort and safety that had come from his extended family was not enough anymore and as his attention was drawn increasingly to the wall across from him. Even though they respected his want of silence, he knew they were throwing occasional sad glances in his direction before they would drop their eyes and look away. For a while, Peter noticed it but then he lost the ability to focus on them. It left him staring at the wall.

As the feeling of floating intensified, he also began to notice that his blood was humming under his skin. He suddenly felt like he needed to run, to swing, to punch something. The conflicting feeling left his body frozen but his mind spinning and it circled back to what had happened. He replayed memories and conjured hallucinations of what the future was supposed to have been for them, until it all blended together. The cream color of the wall was the perfect place to play the images out. And they did, without mercy. Slowly, Peter started falling farther into that place, farther into his recollections and conceptions until he was left reacting in small ways even while his body was frozen painfully rigid.

* * *

Clint had been throwing glances at Peter same as the others but when he saw him staring at the wall, he couldn't tear his eyes away. Peter was impossibly tense. His hands were sitting in his lap and he was clenching and unclenching his fists while he stared hard at the wall across from him. Clint had the distinct impression that if he had Wanda's powers, the walls from here to the operating room would crumble under his gaze. Immediately, that set off warning bells. Standing from where he was sitting next to Natasha, he carefully stepped into Peter's eye line and sat down on the edge of the bed. Peter didn't react, he just continued to stare as if a person had not appeared in front of him. Clint had seen that depth of distraction before, knew intimately the feeling of pent-up frustration and untamable energy that came with waiting to hear about someone you love. It was wrong to see the vacancy on Peter's face. Clint studied him for a moment longer before he laid his hand gently on the teenager's shoulder.

Peter violently jumped at the touch, his hands came up in front of him defensively and his knees bent into a crouch before the glazed look in his eyes cleared and he realized what was going on.

Clint immediately tugged his hand away from the now completely alert and frightened teenager, his voice high and full of guilt as he called out, "I'm sorry! It's me. Clint." He saw the moment Peter's vision solidified on the present. And he felt the tension fall away from the kid as he slowly stretched back out into a more comfortable position. Clint felt the guilt more distinctly as Peter winced painfully. Suddenly, Natasha appeared again at his side, her hand on Peter's shoulder, offering quiet strength that he seemed to need.

Once he was sitting with his back pressed into the pillow, he stared expectantly between Clint and Natasha but didn't say anything. Clint took that as his cue. But then he hesitated because he wasn't actually sure what he wanted to say. He had come over because he was worried about Peter's demeanor but bringing it up was a different story. _How do you put something like that into words?_ Still, he knew he needed to try. Unfortunately, his efforts came out as more of a stuttered mess, "Are you…just wanted to… do you…" He let the string of starts fade away as he rethought his strategy.

Natasha seemed to pick up on what he was trying to do, her unwavering voice much smoother as she asked, "This is a bad question Peter but, other than the injuries, are you alright?"

Peter's eyes widened in surprise, that was not the question he was assumed they were going to ask. He didn't know why but he expected them to ask anything else, more questions about what happened or about what Jeff wanted. This caught him off guard and he did what he always did when someone asked him if he was alright, he answered in the positive, "I'm good, just waiting." His voice sounded weird to his ears, it had the conviction of wet cardboard but he only unconsciously knew why.

"Peter, there is no way that's true." Natasha's voice was kind but firm as she gave him a soft smile, trying to urge him to talk more on his own. When she realized the reaction she wanted was not what she was going to get, fear welled up in her chest, Peter was never quiet. Tony used to complain about it, so did Steve and Sam. Hell, even she had said something once or twice on a mission but now she would do anything for his happy chatter. She felt the smile slip as Clint filled in the silence.

Thankfully, the intervention was enough to give Clint a chance to recover, "What she's saying is that you don't have to pretend everything is okay because we know its not." Clint carefully leaned forward onto his knees, "I know what its like to have to sit and wait for news. To have to be patient and still when all you want to do is sprint forward, to help, to _move_." He glanced over at Natasha briefly before he continued, "You are allowed to be upset. You're allowed to be angry. You're allowed to be afraid. But you of all people are not allowed to feel guilty…" Clint was going to continue but Peter's eyes shot up to meet his and the intense look of anger plastered on his face killed the rest of what Clint was going to say.

Peter listened as Clint said what he felt he had to say but resolved not to acknowledge how accurate, but useless, most of it was. He was right about wanting to move, Peter wanted to be anywhere else so he could feel like he wasn't jumping out of his skin. He was right about the anger and the fear but all of it was just meant to make a screwed up situation a modicum better. To make him feel better. And he didn't deserve that. Peter resolved to ignore everything, but then Clint said he wasn't allowed to feel guilty and Peter violently reacted to that sentiment. He could take or leave everything else Clint had said but he involuntarily snapped his vision to Clint as soon as he said it. Peter could tell his anger showed on his face because Clint stopped talking as soon as he made eye contact. Peter pushed forward, his voice echoed his anger and guilt as he snapped, "It is my fault." He watched Clint's eyes widen in shock and he leaned back a bit as Peter continued his tirade, "It's completely my fault. I could have stopped it. But _I_ didn't. I let that happen, I let him get hurt. He almost died because of _me_." The statement was born from a place of fury and terrible self-loathing but it was undercut by a nearly palpable terror.

Clint was caught off guard when Peter started but he recognized the sound of misplaced fault in his voice so he pushed back, his earnestness a contrast to Peter's guilt, "You didn't do anything wrong, I know that you want to feel like its your fault but I know Tony, he made that choice. The men who did this are the only ones who are to blame." He leaned forward again, imploring Peter to understand.

But Peter was not ready to let it go, so he pressed, his voice betraying him. He snarled, "They wanted to know who Spider-Man was, he gave them everything else they wanted. That was all that was left and my dad wouldn't tell them. He was scared about what they would do to me and so he wouldn't tell them. I knew what they wanted and I still just sat there. I could have ended all of it but I didn't. _I_ made that choice, not him. I'm a coward and my dad is paying for it." Peter spat, his own guilt slowly crushing him as he realized that snapping at Clint and Natasha was not doing anything to make him feel better.

Natasha jumped into the conversation there, she could not tolerate Peter thinking he had somehow had anything to do with this. Instinctively, she understood the outcome of their acquisition of Spider-Man's identity and she sold that as fact, her voice resolute, "Peter, they would have killed you." She paused, giving him a chance to accept that before continuing, "If you had told them, we would have brought you back in a body bag. Do you know what that would have done to Tony?" She looked him in the eyes and held his angry gaze but she could also see the doubt building under the swirling ire, "Your dad did what he had to, to protect you because he knows distinctly what losing you is like." She paused, forcing Peter to meet her eyes before she pushed home her point, "He's done that once before and I can guarantee you without any doubt in my mind that he would give everything he has to keep it from happening again." She watched as Peter's eyes widened in shock, the anger and the guilt losing their fight to an intense sadness as a few tears escaped from the corners. Her voice softened before she continued, "There are pains worse than physical injuries. Horrible gut-wrenching agony that can never be healed. Your dad was protecting you but, whether he knew it or not, he was also protecting himself. It was the same reason that you didn't give them your name, you were protecting him."

The conversation fell there as each contemplated what was just vocalized. Peter hated the truth in her words and while it didn't alleviate the guilt that was still weighing on his soul, it did make him feel better. A bit better. He wouldn't truly be alright until Tony was out of the woods but still, a little weight had been lifted.

Natasha watched the teenager as he processed what she had said and she hoped that at least some of it had gotten through. She could see the deep bruises under Peter's eyes that were too dark to be from the brutal treatment he had gotten which pointed to lack of sleep. She knew he needed to rest if he was going to heal but she also knew that some of what she had said applied to him too. Peter was protecting himself by staying awake because it meant that he wouldn't have to face his nightmares alone. She was struck by the thought that Tony and Peter might become a bit more inseparable than they already were, at least for a time.

Clint was looking between Natasha and Peter and he couldn't help but be impressed by her ability to pinpoint exactly the problem at hand. He had wanted to offer help but it had ended as a team effort. But he looked at Natasha he could still read the concern in her expression and body language. Something else was bothering her. He looked back at Peter and realized what it was, or at least he had a guess. He had been focused on Peter's twitching and rigidness, Natasha was concerned about the fact that he wasn't sleeping. Playing off of that realization, he tried to redirect the conversation. He leaned forward slightly as he pulled the teenager's attention back to the present, "Peter, your dad is going to survive, he's going to heal and that's because of you. You pulled him out of that room and you ensured he would get home." He paused once more as he worked out the best way to frame his request. Clint kept his voice soft as he said, "He's with people who can help him and now it's time for you to think about yourself. You need to try and get some sleep because you're going to hurt yourself if you keep going like this."

Immediately, the vulnerability he had been feeling after Natasha had started speaking hardened and Peter's eyes narrowed at the suggestion. He immediately shook his head and poured all the conviction and honesty he could into his answer, "I don't want to." He wasn't sure why he was telling them this. Maybe it was because they were being kind and Peter desperately wanted to confide in Tony but knew he wouldn't be able to until the man woke up. Maybe it was because he was exhausted and they were the first ones to call him on his lie. Maybe it was just because it felt like the truth was strangling him and this was the only way to make it stop.

Natasha's voice was soft as she leaned forward, mimicking Clint, and asked, "Why's that?"

Peter glanced up at her, studying her shrewdly and then glancing over at Clint before he chose to answer in a whisper, "I'm afraid this is a dream."

Natasha froze at that, she had not considered that but at the same time, she understood it completely.

Clint's eyes skittered away for a moment as he processed that statement. When he finally understood as much of the implication as he could, he replied, "You think you're going to wake up and be back where they were keeping you?"

Peter nodded hesitantly before he continued, "Yah and if I do, I'm going to have to watch them hurt him again. It will mean I failed."

Clint felt Natasha sit up a bit higher and before he could continued, she interjected.

Natasha had heard what he had said before, that he just sat there but it didn't completely register until she heard him say that too. The horror was clear in her tone when she asked, "You saw them hurt Tony? I thought you were kept somewhere else for most of the time?" Natasha finally figured out the reason why Peter had been so badly affected, it wasn't because he had been alone, it was because he had seen the whole thing. The thought made her almost physically sick and so when he nodded, she couldn't keep the anger and sadness at bay as she cursed.

For the first time since they had found them, Peter felt tears start to fall and he sucked his bottom lip under his teeth to try and hold them back as he nodded. He heard Clint curse under his breath. Natasha spat something in Russian. Peter hated this so much, it was a painfully slow revelation but he couldn't find the strength to speed it up.

"Peter…" Clint whispered his name in a palpably sad tone before he laid his hand back on Peter's shoulder. He looked Peter in the eyes before he continued, "I promise you, this is not a dream. You are not going to wake up and be back there. This is real." He frowned as only some of that seemed to get through to the teenager. He tried a different angle, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No…" Peter choked out. He was not ready to talk to anyone. He didn't want them to know how badly he had failed. They were trying to make him feel better and he didn't want them to know how much of a coward he really was when he wasn't hiding behind his suit.

"It's okay," Clint added quickly, leaning back a bit to give Peter a little more room, "you don't have to but you really should try to get some sleep."

Peter slumped again into the pillows behind him, he was so exhausted and he wanted nothing more than to sleep but as soon as that thought even came to mind, he shook himself awake. It worked for a moment but it really just left him more drained than before and he realized he didn't want to talk anymore, he just wanted someone who would understand without questions. Looking up at the two, he croaked out, "Is my aunt here?"

Natasha answered with a level of sadness, "She's on her way. Happy went to get her so she should be here soon."

Peter nodded carefully, the intense feeling of overwhelming loneliness slamming into him again as he sniffled but didn't cry. Then he asked quietly, "Is Ms. Potts here?"

As if his comment was enough to bring her into being, the door opened sharply and Pepper stepped inside, her hurried voice was desperately urgent as she demanded, "Peter." Peter could see her searching the faces of the other Avengers before her eyes locked on his. Her gaze softened as she carefully maneuvered her belly around the gathered Avengers and stepped over to the bed.

"Ms. Potts." He answered quietly, thankful that at least someone wouldn't ask him questions. He appreciated the interest and care the others were showing but right now he didn't have the energy to fight anything anymore, he needed uninterested love.

She didn't ask permission as she sat down at Peter's side. "Oh, sweetie," she cooed, balancing a little more awkwardly than she normally would because of her swollen belly. She immediately threw her arm around him and Peter let her pull him in, resting his head on her shoulder and feeling both incredible relief and crushing guilt at the embrace. Unfortunately, the guilt won out as he turned his head toward her shoulder, "I'm sorry, Ms. Potts. I swear I tried."

Pepper immediately was ready with an answer, "Peter, honey, please stop." She leaned back just a bit to look down at him, careful not to shift him too much, conviction clear in her declaration, "I do not for a moment doubt that you did everything you could to help Tony. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay, I promise." She tugged the teenager she had come to love as her own more fully into her arms and started rubbing her hand up and down his arm.

Regardless of how wrong he knew she was, Peter still felt some of the pessimism melt away as she comforted him. He was able to focus his spinning mind as he heard the even beat of her heart and the ease of her breaths. That regularity helped calm him down. He even managed to force himself to close his eyes and relax a bit. A few minutes after he finally settled close, he felt the baby kick, the motion causing a slight twinge of pain in his ribs where he was curled against Pepper. But for the first time, it was a welcome pain and he couldn't help but smile, "Morgan is kicking a lot today."

"Yah," she smiled, laying her free hand on her belly, "he reacts like his father when crazy things are happening, always wanting to move."

"We'll have to make sure we give him a good made-up name then." Peter said, smiling a little more into her shoulder when he realized something, "Wait, 'he'?"

Pepper couldn't help but smile, thankful for the soon-to-be older brother in her arms, "I found out a couple of days ago. I couldn't wait anymore and I've been waiting to tell my two favorite boys." She tucked his head under her chin and hugged him tightly, partially because he needed it and partially so he wouldn't see her smile falter and her eyes water.

Clint and Natasha shared a glance at the incredibly quick change in Peter's behavior. Some of the spark was back. Both started to stand as Peter's attention was solely focused on the significantly more positive interaction he was having with Pepper.

But Pepper was Tony's balance in intuition and she had questioned the presence of both spies sitting at the foot of Peter's bed as soon as she stepped in. Glancing up at them as they started to move, she gently shook her head. The two got her meaning and sat back down. Pepper held Peter close for a little longer, whispering to him softly and giving him a chance to relax farther until she pulled Natasha and Clint back into the conversation, her voice was soft and honest, even if it had ulterior motives, "Thank you for rescuing them."

"Of course, Pepper." Clint and Natasha echoed together. Natasha took the opening she gave them, feeling a little sick at the manipulation but knowing that it was necessary for Peter she said, "We were just trying to encourage Peter to get some sleep. Maybe you'll have a little more luck."

"Is that true, sweetheart?" Pepper asked the teenager curled into her side.

Peter just nodded into her shoulder, unwilling to vocalize lie to Pepper, no matter how small.

Pepper felt the hesitation and knew she needed to push a little more. Her voice was soft when she asked, "Do you want to talk about whatever is keeping you awake?"

Peter desperately did not want to tell Pepper what had happened, didn't want her to know what he had let happen to the father of her child. But at the same time, he was frantic to do anything to keep her next to him so he resolved to answer. Decision made to keep her close, he mumbled into her shoulder, "I'm afraid this is a dream."

Pepper felt guilty as she heard the truth torn from him but she stayed quiet and let him continue.

Peter kept going, it still wasn't the whole story but it was something, "If I go to sleep, I'm afraid that when I wake up, we'll be back in the room and they'll hurt him." He glanced up at Pepper with tears in his eyes, "I don't want that to happen again."

Pepper's heart broke at the naked honesty in his eyes and she could help herself as she responded instinctually, "Oh, honey. What can I do?" As soon as she asked the question, she saw momentary relief in his eyes and she realized she was done letting anyone ask him any more questions, a fierce protectiveness rising in her chest.

That was the first time anyone had asked him that but he didn't have an answer. As he thought for a minute, he realized that the physical presence was what he needed, "Stay here, please?"

"Of course. I'll stay right here." She waited for Peter to scoot over slightly in the bed before she kicked her feet more fully onto the mattress and gave Peter a chance to curl completely into her side. She glanced up at Natasha and Clint again before pressing a kiss onto his forehead and resting her cheek on his hair. She whispered confidently to the two, "No more questions right now." When they both nodded, stood, and stepped away, Pepper let her shoulders fall a bit and relaxed into the pillows. Resolving to sit still until Peter woke up.

Peter still was afraid to fall asleep but something about the current reality of the situation was so distinctly different that he was having a hard time imagining he was able to dream this vividly. He glanced around at the other Avengers currently clustered in his room, felt Pepper hugging him tightly, and he finally felt himself starting to relax. He closed his eyes and after enough time, he started to dose.

* * *

When they finally found out that Tony was out of surgery, Peter had finally fallen asleep against Pepper's shoulder. The rest of the Avengers were sitting as a bulwark in front of the door. It was unnecessary but the instinct to protect was stronger for them than most and they could not help but shield the two.

That was how Dr. Fry found them as she pressed the door open. As she flicked her eyes up from her files, she saw the intense collective gaze of five Avengers and Pepper Potts. It had been unnerving the first few times it happened but now it was old hat. She glanced over the seated heads of Natasha and Clint to see that Peter was finally asleep against Pepper's shoulder. Stepping confidently to address the group, Dr. Fry started with a quiet voice as she tried to keep from waking Peter. She loudly whispered, "Tony will heal. The damage was extensive but whoever did this seemed to know what they were doing and were determined to keep him alive." She scrunched her nose at the abrupt description, "I apologize for the crudeness of that statement but it is the reality. We repaired the worst of the damage but because of the treatment, he suffered a pleural effusion in both lungs. We've drained the liquid away but he'll need to be monitored for at least a week and a half before we're willing to let him leave the wing." As she spoke, she glanced at each of the Avengers, trying to gauge their reactions. The overriding expressions were sickness and anger but no one spoke.

Eventually, Steve's voice cut through the silence of the room as he spoke with authority, "Thank you, Dr. Fry."

She dipped her head in response but when no one else said anything or asked any questions, she turned and left the family to deal with its wounds and figure out how to move forward.

Silence descended on the room again until eventually a sharp sniffle cut through the individual contemplations. As one, every eye looked to Pepper. She had tears dripping down her cheeks as she agitatedly pulled Peter closer. Her normally blue eyes were rimmed with red and her voice was quiet but demanding, "I need you to tell me exactly what you know about what happened to them."

This time Steve, with help from Natasha and Clint, repeated the story to the best of their knowledge. By the time he finished, Pepper's tears had stopped and she looked much more determined. An inclination that came through in her tone, "They're here. You have the people who did this here?"

Steve nodded carefully, unsure of where she was going with this.

Her voice was hard as she asked her next question, "And you have proof, evidence, communications, something to tie them to what they did?"

Steve nodded again.

"When he," she nodded down at Peter, "wakes up, I'm calling our lawyers. We're going to deal with them." She looked between everyone that was gathered and made sure to meet their eyes. She understood what they wanted to do but she also needed to make sure she protected them and ensured these men would never get close to Tony or Peter again. And more than anything else, she wanted them out of her home. She felt sick thinking those men were in the basement of the Compound, even if that's what that area was for.

There was a collective nod as Pepper issued her order. But then Natasha spoke up, imploring, "Pepper, please don't do that." She leaned forward onto her knees as she said it but recoiled almost immediately when Pepper shot her a venomous look. Still, she didn't sit back, she held her ground before explaining, "Let us talk to them first. If we turn them over, we could potentially lose access to them and we need to ask our own questions before that happens. They held Tony and Peter and managed to hinder almost all our attempts to find them, we need to know where their information came from and who, if anyone, they're working for. I appreciate your anger, trust me, but we need to keep them here a little longer. We need to keep them here until we've worked through everything." Natasha entreated Pepper to listen.

Pepper listened quietly and patiently to her reasoning, weighing the options for a moment before she spoke, "Fine. But once you're done, we're turning them over, I want them gone."

Natasha nodded and sat back in her chair, that she could deal with.

Steve vocalized the agreement, "Done."

* * *

 **There you have it! I couldn't leave Tony out of the story for too long and I wanted to make sure that the others were aware of the problems Peter was having even if they don't know the full extent. I've noticed that its harder to get stories out of some people than others and I think Peter would be more reluctant to share than most.**

 **Also, did you see the Endgame trailer because its amazing and makes me wish it was April!**

 **As always, if you want, feel free to let me know what you think in the reviews, they're always wonderful to read!**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello everyone,**

 **I just got on a roll and couldn't stop writing this section, so I have another update for you this week!**

 **Thank you for the favorites and the follows, I feel like I say this every chapter but it still remains very true that seeing that does make a huge difference when you're writing!**

 **And I want to make sure I say thank you to all my amazing reviewers who continue to give me wonderful advice and encouragement. So, thank you to:**

 **...the awesome perplexion08, it totally made me laugh when you said you reviewed as a guest and its so amazing that you left another comment just to say that, you're wonderful and I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! Also when the Avengers theme came on, I totally got goosebumps too!;**

 **...the wonderful anyctophilian, it's definitely going to get more difficult as they get out of the woods and are trying to sort through everything that happened, its going to make sure some tough writing for sure!;**

 **...the fantastic HHaines, I'm with you about the April thing and the depression thing but I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of ready for the pissed off Avengers going after Thanos;**

 **...the amazing Indigene Syke, I'm glad that emotion worked, that is always one of the harder pieces for me!;**

 **...the fabulous Ancalime8301, I'm glad that you're enjoying the story and I hope this chapter meets your expectations;**

 **...the dynamite carajiggirl, you are always so encouraging and I'm glad you enjoyed Pepper's role in the chapter, I hope this one meets your expectations!**

 **Thank you again for all the encouragement!**

 **So without further ado,**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The door snapped open once more only a handful of minutes after Dr. Fry had left. May appeared in the doorway, a frazzled look on her beautiful face. She stepped shakily into the room and paused as her eyes flicked over the gathered Avengers. When she didn't immediately see Peter, she could not hide the fearful look that grew on her face as she pressed a stray piece of hair away, trying absentmindedly to twist it back into her haphazard bun. Without addressing anyone in particular, she demanded in a strained voice, "Where is he?"

Steve stood as she entered, stepping in front of her with his hands held out in front of him in a plea for quiet and an attempt to placate the anger he could already imagine on her face. When she finally spoke, he answered hurriedly, his voice mollifying and soft, "He's asleep on the bed."

May narrowed her eyes at him as she stood on her tiptoes and tried to see the bed a little better, untrusting of the answer from the man who she would normally trust implicitly. She could see Pepper asleep against the headboard but it took her a moment to catch sight of Peter. When she did, her face crumpled and tears sprang to her eyes, her hands flying up in front of her mouth, she whispered, "Thank god." A moment later, she pushed past Steve and threaded her way through the gathered Avengers to make it to the bed. She sobbed when she saw Peter's bruised face. May badly wanted to hug him, to talk to him, to wake him up but she immediately shook it off as the selfish idea it was, instead she fell back into the chair behind her and started to sob. Clint reached over and laid his hand on her shoulder and on instinct, she grabbed ahold of it and continued to cry, clamping down hard on the support.

It didn't take long before the weeping woke Pepper up.

* * *

A soft sobbing woke her. For a moment as she heard it, Pepper assumed it was Peter and she dragged her eyes open to look down at the teenager still sleeping next to her. Needing a new source for the tears, Pepper glanced around as she tried to pinpoint the crying. She didn't have to look far when she saw Peter's aunt in the chair next to the bed. Immediately, Pepper felt immensely guilty, she had been desperate to see Peter after she heard they were back, she could only imagine how May felt. Pepper whispered as she tried to speak quietly enough to keep from waking Peter, "May?"

May's sobs calmed at Pepper's voice and she looked up with bloodshot eyes, she whined and hiccuped when she spoke, "Pep-per…h-how is he?"

Pepper smiled softly as she gave the worried woman the good new, "He's okay. He's tired but the bruises look a lot worse than they actually are. The doctor said he should be fine in the next couple of days."

"What about Tony?" May almost regretted asking the question when Pepper's eyes welled up with tears.

Pepper paused for a moment to gather her thought as she tried to explain what happened, thankfully Clint was watching the exchange and spoke up from over May's shoulder, "He'll be alright too but he took more punishment than Peter so he's going to take longer to heal."

May nodded carefully as she listened but her eyes never left Pepper's, her heart went out to the wife of the man who had obviously tried to protect Peter. Once Clint finished, May leaned forward and grabbed Pepper's hand before she whispered, "I'm sorry Pepper."

The tears started to track down Pepper's face again as she squeaked out, "Thanks." She glanced down at the precious teenager in her arms for a moment before she looked back at May, "Do you want me to move? I'm sure he would love for you to sit with him."

May for a split second thought about accepting but then she realized that would be a selfish response, Peter was still asleep and Pepper seemed about as eager to move as May was to stay sitting in the chair. She thought about that for a moment before she responded, "As much as I would love to say yes, he's asleep and that's more important right now."

* * *

Peter slept for a few more hours. He was still in pain and almost immediately the terror and uncertainty caught up with him but then Pepper shrugged her shoulder under his head and whispered, "Peter, someone is here to see you."

He carefully pushed himself up and saw May leaning forward in the chair near the bed. He nearly started to cry when he saw her smile light up in his direction. He wasn't able to do much more than whisper, "May," but it was enough to convey his relief.

Pepper glanced down at the teenager, "Peter, sweetie, I'm going to get up so that May can sit with you, okay?"

For a moment, Peter was afraid to lose the contact but he desperately wanted May. He nodded against Pepper's shoulder.

Pepper stood awkwardly, giving May as chance to take her place before she excused herself from the room. She came back a bit later but Peter was already asleep again in his aunt's arms. Eventually, the others filtered out of the room, giving May and Peter a chance to talk when he finally woke up.

When he did, he took one look at May before he broke down. Peter finally lost the thin shred of control he had managed to have when the rest of the Avengers were in the room. Through all of it, May just held him tight, brushed back his hair, and told him that everything was going to be alright. It had been a long time since Peter had cried himself to sleep. But he used the last of his strength to purge his mind of some of the pain and despair of the last two weeks, he was so exhausted he eventually just passed again. She continued to hold him and rub his back even after he had fallen asleep.

* * *

He had slept for something like eleven hours.

He felt relieved for a moment when he woke up, like he had just woken up from a nightmare. But as his sluggish consciousness caught up, he remembered the nightmare was a memory. His dad was still in intensive care and his arm was still broken, and the men who had done this to them were still in this Compound. May was still laying on the bed with him, she had fallen asleep as well and he didn't want to wake her so he tucked his head back into her shoulder and tried to return to that split second from when he had woken up and thought that everything was okay. It didn't work.

Instead, he laid against his aunt's shoulder and stewed. Despair rose in his mind as he replayed their treatment repeatedly as he waited for May to wake up. The despair led to desperation as he realized he was still in this room and no one had actually told him how his dad was doing. As soon as he felt May shift and stretch a bit, he knew she was awake and he looked up at her, his voice was a breath above a murmur, "Can I see him, please?"

May glanced down at him with a sympathetic expression before she tugged him in close and whispered, "I'm not sure, honey. The doctor said you're supposed to rest for another few days before you start moving around." May could not hide the concern in her tone, as she frowned down at him. But she added, "I'll ask, maybe we can get you a bed in the same room." She glanced around with purpose, taking into account the size of the room, "These rooms are big enough, I'm sure they could put another bed in here. And I bet Tony's going to want you close anyway." She wrapped her arms a bit more fully around Peter before she leaned back enough to glance down at him, "Do you want me to go find out what we can do?"

As badly as Peter didn't want her to leave, he needed to know how his dad was doing more and he nodded.

She carefully pulled herself away from Peter and stood but before she left, she turned and pressed a kiss to his forehead, brushing back his hair gently. Pausing where she had leaned over him for a moment more, she couldn't help but whisper, "I'll be right back." Then she combed his hair back once more before she disappeared out of the room.

It took about an hour for them to get everything moved.

Still, it was no where near the privacy he had been hoping for because there was always someone in the room with them, Peter wasn't sure if they were there for him, or Tony, or both but there was always someone else there. May stayed with him too.

* * *

A couple of days later, he was told he could leave the wing. Sleep in his own bed. The thought absolutely terrified him. He needed to stay near his dad until he woke up. That was not up for debate. But May tried anyway, her voice was soft as she pleaded, "Peter, why don't we sleep in your room tonight? You can come back down here in the morning and sit with Tony but I think you would be able to actually get a good night's sleep if you were someplace comfortable."

The threat of being away from Tony was enough to make anger boil to the surface and he snapped at her, "No. I'm not leaving." He calmed down as soon as she recoiled, and he spoke sheepishly, "'m sorry, May. I just…I have to be here."

May gave him a sad smile but sat back down on the bed, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and whispering, "I understand, Peter."

He glanced up at her from where he was laying and carefully studied her, she was tired too, he could tell. Eventually, he decided what he needed to do, "You could sleep in my room though. It would probably make you feel better and then you don't have to worry about sleeping in this bed anymore. I know it's not super comfortable."

"I'm staying as long as you need me." She said determinedly.

"It's okay May. I promise, I'll be alright. I wouldn't mind trying to see if I could sleep on my own…" He didn't want her to think that he didn't appreciate the immense comfort she had provided but at the same time, he had an overwhelming urge to make sure that she was taken care of too.

May had learned to read Peter well over the years. She knew when he understood what he needed and when he wasn't sure what decision to make. In this case, he knew what he needed. Giving him one last sad smile, she pulled her arm from around his shoulders and quietly asked, "Are you sure, Peter?"

"I am." Peter said with a conviction that he actually felt. He needed some time to himself, he had been surrounded by people for so long that he needed an out.

She recognized his determination and gave him a small smile before he pressed another kiss to his forehead, brushing his hair back and whispering, "I'll be back in the morning. Try to get some sleep honey."

As soon as she left, quiet descended on the room.

It was a jarring difference from all the motion and the people who had been around him since they had come back but for the first time it was finally just him and his dad. Peter took some level of comfort in that reality. He settled into the pillows behind him and listened carefully to the steady heart rate monitor and the regular, soft breaths that did not have the same level of strain he had heard before. It was comforting. He closed his eyes and let the sounds cause him to drift to sleep.

He managed to get a few hours before he woke up in a cold sweat. Natasha was sitting in the corner of the room and her sharp eyes watched him as he gasped for breath but she seemed to realize that he needed to do this on his own and she didn't say anything, just gave him a soft smile. He closed his eyes again and tried to fall back to sleep.

For the next two days, the same pattern persisted. He would get somewhere between two and three hours of sleep before he was jarred awake by nightmares. Then he had to convince whoever was in the room that he was okay before he tried to fall back to sleep. He knew no one believed him but they let him lie anyway.

* * *

"Peter," Tony groaned. His entire body felt like it had been sunk in concrete, even his eyelids weren't responding. But when his son did not immediately appear at his side, Tony's semi-awake mind just assumed Peter was still asleep as well and he forced himself to put a little more strength behind the name, "Pete." Still nothing. Tony felt slightly sick as he realized what that silence could mean, still he tried one last time, his voice more demanding, "Peter." Quiet. Tony's mind spun into overdrive, conjuring horrifying images as quickly as he could dismiss them. Without meaning too, he screamed, "Peter!" In what felt like an epiphany moment, Tony managed to force his eyes open, his gaze darting around another new interior. It was cream walls and a comfortable bed and then a person leaned over him, for a moment, Tony paused. Then hands pressed onto his forearms gently but firmly, holding him in place. It wasn't Peter. Tony spared a glance at the person standing over him and subconsciously knew it was Steve but he was too focused on getting away to let that register. He fought against the arms holding him down, snarling against the continued restraint, and demanding, "Where. Is. He?" Pain flared in his chest as he fought against the hands but he refused to let them stop him and he thrashed against the hold.

Steve started at Tony's suddenly consciousness and then jumped up when he screamed. He started talking but it didn't seem to be getting because Tony started trying to get out of the bed. Steve had been told to keep him as immobile as possible so he laid his hands on his arms, pinning him down. He raised his voice a bit, aware of Peter sleeping not too far away, he put as much authority into the command as he could, "Tony, calm down. You're going to hurt yourself. You're at the Compound, its okay, you're safe. You're both safe." After he said that, Tony looked at him, really looked at him, and for a moment, Steve was sure Tony recognized him but then he sneered up at him and demanded Peter. Steve moved his arms up to Tony's shoulders in an attempt to comfort him and softened his tone, "He's fine, Tony. Peter's fine but he's sleeping. He's right over there and you need to stop or you're going to wake him."

Still Tony wasn't listening or still couldn't truly hear what Steve was saying because he was stuck in whatever image he was seeing and needed more than anything to see his son, "Peter!" he screamed again as he continued to struggle futilely against Steve's hands. Tony met Steve's eyes and growled, "Give him back to me or I swear to god…" Steve was surprised to hear more strength in the command than he thought Tony would be able to summon.

But nothing Steve did worked, it was Peter's soft voice that cut through the strangled statement before Tony could finish his threat. The teenager stepped up to the bedside and rubbed his hand across his eyes as he sleepily asked, "Dad?"

"Peter…" Tony turned the best he could toward the voice, absentmindedly he realized the hands disappeared but his entire being was focused on Peter.

Peter yawned before he answered with an uncharacteristically laconic answer, "It's me."

Tony immediately started to move again, starting another desperate attempt to get out of the bed and tugging haphazardly at the blankets wrapped around his legs. He motions were sluggish and uncoordinated but that didn't stop his attempt. Steve jumped to keep him in bed but Peter beat him to it.

Peter's eyes widened when his dad started to try to get out of bed, that wasn't a good option. Peter placed himself in front of Tony and laid his hand on his dad's shoulder before quietly ordering, "Stay in bed." His touch was light, but it was more than enough to stop the man's erratic movements, and his soft voice solidified the order, "I'm right here, you need to stay there."

Tony stopped all movement, his eyes locking on Peter's form and refusing to leave. Peter looked exhausted and Tony's mind flashed back to what he remembered from the room they had been kept in. This was not it. The more he focused on the wisps of memories, he realized he had thought he saw Steve and Natasha and, as he risked looking away from Peter for a moment, he glanced over his shoulder to see he was right. He turned back to Peter and his tired mind shook off the cobwebs. If they were safe, why did Peter look so lost? The sentiment scared Tony and he couldn't help but brokenly whisper, "Okay?"

Peter's eyes welled up and he shook his head in the negative.

Tony's trepidations grew at that singular action. Something was very wrong still and he absolutely needed to figure out what it was but he was also becoming aware of how limited his current options were. He carefully shifted over in the bed before he held his arm out and quietly ordered, "Come're Pete."

As if he had been waiting for the invitation, Peter crawled into the bed and curled up next to Tony, burying his face in the man's shoulder. It wasn't long after that happened that Peter's shoulders started to quake and then the tears started, soaking Tony's shoulder.

* * *

Something woke him up.

He couldn't quite pinpoint its origin but it wasn't his normal nightmare. Then he very clearly heard his dad's voice. Without hearing his name, Peter knew what Tony wanted.

Still, he had a hard time forcing his body to cooperate. He heard the demand again, it was louder but he still couldn't figure out what he was saying, the sleep he had actually gotten clung stubbornly to his mind and he felt like he had cotton stuffed in his ears. He heard Steve trying to calm Tony down and realized he needed to move a little faster. Then his dad screamed his name and that was enough to force Peter out of his bed.

Knowing his needed to say something, Peter rubbed his arm over his tired eyes and called out to Tony. As he still tried to get out of bed, Peter pressed on his shoulders because he knew Tony could not safely move. Tony listened immediately and then he asked if everything was okay. It wasn't. Peter felt his eyes well with tears when for the first time since they had gotten out, he could talk to his dad and he couldn't help the overwhelming relief he felt at that reality. Peter had been holding everything in for so long, trying to stay strong and deal with what had happened that when he was finally able to see the man awake, he couldn't hold back the tears anymore. He saw the sadness in his dad's face but he felt a comforting sense of relief when Tony held his arm out. Without thought, Peter crawled onto the bed and tucked himself in Tony's side. He was so overwhelmed by everything that he couldn't help but start sobbing.

* * *

The uncharacteristic display caught Tony off guard and he instinctually wrapped his arms around his son, holding him close and running his hands through Peter's hair, telling him it was going to be alright. That they were safe. That he would never let anything like that happen again. He felt his own heart breaking all over again as he realized this was his fault.

Steve looked down at the pair with a sad expression as he pulled a warm blanket off the chair behind them. He draped it over the two and stepped back, levering himself back into the chair at Tony's bedside in an effort to stay out of the way, still a bit unsure about fully leaving the room.

Eventually, Peter cried himself back to sleep and Tony looked up at Steve, "What's wrong?" He practically whispered, unwilling to wake Peter up again.

But Steve seemed to know something he didn't because he spoke with a bit more volume, his voice heartbroken, "I think he's overwhelmed. He really hasn't said much to anyone since we brought you back." Steve was looking at the sliver of Peter's face he could see with unveiled sorrow.

Tony unconsciously tugged Peter a little tighter into his chest as he tried desperately to make it better. He felt like crying and he wasn't sure that he would be able to let the kid go for a while after this. He wasn't sure what made him ask but after a few moments of silence, he whispered, "How long?"

Steve met his gaze with a hard look before he responded, "Five days. It was intentional for the first four and then it took you about a day to wake up."

Tony started at that. Five days. Peter had been holding whatever this was in for five days. The pain of that realization hit him harder than the ache in his chest and some of the anger that had been sitting under his skin surfaced quickly after that. Peter shifted slightly against him and Tony felt a sickening combination of fear, guilt, and pain swirling in his gut, as he attempted to direct his anger, he snarled at Steve, "What the hell took you so long?" But his gaze immediately softened as Peter snuffled against his shoulder, drawing Tony's attention back to him. Tony curled toward him, tucking Peter impossibly close to his side, voice comforting as he whispered, "It's alright, Pete. I gotcha, we're okay."

The juxtaposition between the two sides was jarring for Steve and he wasn't quite sure if Tony wanted an answer or if he wanted to be left alone. Even though he had asked Steve a question, as soon as Peter demanded his attention, Tony seemed to forget Steve existed, a reality that didn't bother him but one that left him feeling like he was intruding. Even after seeing Peter with May and Pepper, this was somehow different and Steve felt a little awkward as he watched Tony comforting Peter. It was too familiar, too intimate, and something the youngest Avenger desperately needed, but it also seemed like something he shouldn't be privy too. "Tony do you want me to leave for a bit?" Steve asked quietly as he watched him.

"No." Tony snapped, he sounded sure, even if his attention was currently focused on Peter.

"Okay…" Steve trailed off as he waited for Tony to say whatever he was going to.

Tony slipped his fingers into Peter's hair, his hand falling to rest over his ear before he turned back to Steve, his eyes flashed with a fire that flared when he snarled, "Answer my goddamn question, Rogers. What the hell took you so long?" But before Steve could even answer, Tony continued, "Two weeks, we were there for two goddamn weeks, Steve."

Steve dropped his head, knowing exactly what this anger was about, he tried to speak calmly, "Tony, we tried to get to you but we had to find you first. This wasn't as simple as following a tracker. We didn't have a location." He shook his head as he tried to figure out what to say next, "You're angry because we didn't get there soon enough..."

Tony cut him off with a hiss, his voice was dangerously low as he spoke, "Damn right that's why I'm angry with you. You didn't have our backs. I told him to wait. For you. He wanted to escape, he probably could have but I didn't want him to expose who he was and I trusted you to have our backs. I told him to hold off because you would be there. Two days later they beat him senseless."

Steve could not have been more surprised if Tony had slapped him. He almost sheepishly met Tony's eyes before he tried to explain, "I'm so sorry Tony but I swear to you we weren't just sitting on our hands. After we realized you were gone we started looking but every tracker you gave us access to wasn't working. At best it led us to the place where they had taken you from and that meant it was a matter of actually searching for you. These guys were well beyond off the grid and it was only because of Natasha that we found you at all. They paid for everything in cash, nothing they did was connected to any type of group. It was only because of a fluke that we found you at all. They were trained Tony. It wasn't just a group of thugs, they were former spec op guys. I'm sorry it took as long as it did but it was not in any way intentional."

"Well, you should have been faster," Tony scowled lamely at Steve as Peter shifted again in his arms.

Steve took the guilt Tony was throwing at him because while he knew rationally that it wasn't his fault, one look at the both of them was enough to make him feel like he had caused some of the injuries himself. His voice was miserable as he repeated, "We tried Tony, I swear to God we tried and we got there as soon as we could."

"Well, it wasn't fast enough, was it?" Tony snarled but then he glanced down at Peter again and Tony knew in his heart that blaming Steve wasn't fair. He knew beyond a doubt that everything the first Avenger was saying was true, that they had worked as hard as they could to get them back. As that thought twisted in his head, as Tony took in the solemn face of Steve, he realized his mistake. It wasn't Steve's fault, it was his, the realization was soul-crushing. He looked up at Steve with tears in his eyes as he desperately tried to explain his pain, praying that Steve would make the connection between his guilt and his unwarranted anger. His voice was strangled as he tried to explain, "They hurt him Steve. They hurt him because he called me 'dad'." Tony searched Steve's face for a reason that wasn't there. His voice was even quieter as he asked, "What am I supposed to do with that?"

Steve just blinked at Tony a few times, completely out of his depth when it came to dealing with this level of pain. Still, if this was what Tony needed, he would try. His leaned forward in his seat and laid his hand on Tony's arm as he whispered, "Tony, I'm sure you did all you could." Even to Steve it sounded hollow but nothing he could say was going to make this better, he could only take solace in the fact that at least Tony was talking. Unfortunately, that was apparently the wrong thing to say and Steve knew it as soon as he finished the statement because Tony's face twisted in a look of tormented anger.

Tony listened to what Steve said but as soon as it left his mouth, anger flared again in Tony's chest as he found his voice again and snarled, "I didn't though because if I had he wouldn't be laying like this. He wouldn't have bruises and broken bones and nightmares."

Steve was tired and he knew where this was going. He had been afraid of this happening, Tony was going to blame himself for what happened to Peter and Peter was going to blame himself for what happened to Tony and until the both of them worked through that guilt, they were either going to drive each other apart or be completely inseparable. Both were terrible choices and so Steve tried to cut off the cycle, his voice sincere, "Don't do that Tony. When we found the two of you, you were unconscious and he was carrying you. There was literally nothing you could have done." Steve readied himself for more anger, for a yelling match. What he didn't expect was for Tony to give a shuddering heave as tears started to roll down his cheeks.

Tony knew that Steve was trying to help but he didn't understand what had happened, none of them could understand but for some reason, Tony felt compelled to try to give Steve some insight. His voice matched Steve's sincerely, "I could have. I tried to but it didn't work."

Instinctually, Steve knew he needed to listen to whatever was going to come next so he pushed a little farther, "What do you mean?"

Tony sniffled as tears continued to fall and he choked out, "I tried to make them think he didn't matter. I wanted them to think he wasn't important so they would leave him alone. But it didn't work, Rick knew I was lying…he told Jeff…and…and they hurt him until I couldn't pretend anymore. He told me that they were going to kill him slowly if I didn't give them what they wanted…I couldn't protect him..." Tony trailed off as he dropped his head back against the pillow, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks and into his hair

Steve tried to wrap his head around this newest piece of information. He knew that Peter had seen Tony beaten but he hadn't mentioned this piece of the torture. Anger flared in his mind again and for a split second he was glad it was him and not Clint or Natasha who heard it, "I'm so sorry Tony. I can't imagine what that's like but I can tell you that he's not angry at you. He's been with you almost the entire time. I think he's just been waiting for you to wake up because you're the only one he can really talk to."

Tony just nodded with his head pressed against the headboard as he listened to what Steve was saying but he was too exhausted to keep engaging. He felt the tightness in his chest of the broken ribs and the sheer stiffness and pain that went along with everything that had happened. Still with all that, the one bright spot that he needed was at his side. Peter was alive. They would work through the pain and the guilt and the terror that had gone along with what happened but at least his son was alive.

Steve sensed that Tony was done talking. Knowing he needed to give them some space, he stood and laid his hand on Tony's shoulder. His voice was commanding as he spoke, "I'm going to give you some time Tony, I'll be just outside the room if you need me." Steve waited for a response but Tony's eyes remained resolutely closed.

Tony felt Steve move away from them and he couldn't let him leave without saying anything. Tony forced his eyes open and called to Steve's back, "Thank you, Steve." Tony could see the guilt written on Steve's face when he turned and nodded silently toward the bed. Tony felt guilty for his part in that but eventually, that emotion became too heavy and he had to let it go as he watched Steve step out the door. Once the door quietly snapped shut, Tony pulled his sleeping son closer, tucking him carefully under his chin as he desperately tried to make it better. He whispered into his hair, "I'm sorry, Pete. I'm sorry. It's okay, I've gotcha. Sleep as long as you need, 'm not going anywhere." He rested his chin on Peter's head and closed his eyes.

It didn't take him long to fall asleep.

* * *

 **There you go, Tony's awake!**

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please feel free to let me know what you thought in the reviews.**

 **I hope you have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello everyone!**

 **I have another chapter for my lovely readers and I really hope you enjoy it.**

 **And as is now tradition, I want to make sure I thank my awesome reviews. I love reading the comments you leave :) So, thank you to:**

 **\- the wonderful HHaines, they are both kinda sorta fine! I'm glad you enjoy my style too, I'm always a little self-conscious of the detail so that's really nice to hear. Thank you :)**

 **\- the amazing Ancalime8301, it'll definitely take some time for them to talk it out but you are right about it needed to happen!**

 **\- the fantastic Indigene Syke, I'm glad that Tony seems relatively in character to you! That makes me really happy:)**

 **\- the awesome carajiggirl, I love Pepper and May so much so I'm glad you enjoyed their inclusion! I figured it would make sense for him to be kind of mad at the situation since emotion really isn't his thing. I'm glad it made sense in context though. Thank you for the review :)**

 **\- the fantabulous thebookworm33, I'm so glad you're enjoying the story and thank you so much for saying that, its really nice to read!**

 **\- the outstanding perplexion08, I think that's why I love writing their relationship so much because there are elements of it that just seem very unshakeable so it makes it fun to play around with. You take care as well!**

 **We're getting toward the end of the story now so I hope this chapter still works for everyone!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Natasha glanced over at Clint. It had been another long day.

Their search of the warehouse hadn't yielded much. They found evidence of an obvious nutritional deficit if the beer and college level rations were anything to judge. And they managed to recover Tony and Peter's personal effects, including Tony's suit. Sam had even recovered video of their treatment but no indication of why it had been necessary and no connection to any larger person or organization. It was enough to ensure Jeff and his men were punished for their crimes but, if the combined resources of the men were anything to go by, it wasn't enough to give the Avengers an idea of what the larger looming threat was. What they really needed was paperwork or communications with someone higher up the food chain but if it existed, they couldn't find it and the reality of that was starting to grate on Natasha's nerves. Clint seemed to notice.

Clint leaned forward to catch her distracted attention, his voice was sympathetic, "You could just go talk to him, you know."

Natasha leaned back in her chair, unwilling to accept any of his sympathy, and answering with a hard, disapproving edge to her voice, "Steve doesn't want anyone talking to them until we have an angle. We need Tony and Peter to tell us what happened, right now all we have is video and its not enough to go on."

Sam joined in the conversation, "We could force them to tell us what they know."

But before he even finished the sentence, Natasha was shaking her head, "No, there's something else going on here. Either someone they're afraid of or something that means more. They kidnapped Tony Stark, they had to know we were going to try to find them. That means they're not afraid of anything we can do to them. We need leverage."

Sam answered back in the negative and the conversation devolved into the same argument they had already had multiple times since they had gotten back.

After a bit of time, it was Clint who ended it. Scrubbing his hand over his tired eyes, he spoke with quiet confidence, his calm voice silencing everyone gathered in the living room, "We should get some sleep. Start fresh in the morning."

All eyes turned toward him but no one made a move to leave. There was a moment of tense silence before Bruce eventually spoke up, "Steve is with them tonight?"

"Yah," Rhodey answered before he stood, "Clint's right though. We can't wait anymore, we need to start moving on this tomorrow and we can't do that if we look like they've rattled us. Let's get some sleep." Without waiting for an answer, he turned on his heel and headed off toward their cluster of rooms. Slowly, the rest stood and wearily made their way back to their rooms although the possibility of sleep was still slight.

* * *

Natasha managed to get a good few hours of sleep before she shook herself awake. Unwilling to wake Bruce with her nightmares, she silently slid out of their bed and out into the hallway.

Her bare feet hardly made a sound against the carpeted floor of the private suite of rooms and allowed her to slide down the hallway without a chance of waking anyone. She slipped into their shared living room and pulled the Starkpad off the table. Pulling up the little they had been able to pull from the warehouse and what she had found about their personnel files, she tried again to piece together…something. She needed motivations, funding, personal connections to Tony, something. They knew what Peter had told them about what Jeff wanted but that still didn't explain why he wanted it and that was really what she needed in order to break him.

She especially was curious about them wanting to know who Spider-Man was, that was easily the most dangerous of the requests and it also didn't make sense for these men to want to know who he was, none had ever had a run in with him. Her gut told her they were the foot soldiers for someone else.

She turned over methods in her mind. It was easy to hurt people, it was harder to figure out what they wanted without pain but that was what she needed. She pulled up the videos of their treatment again. She forced herself to watch as they pummeled Tony before moving onto Peter with little regard for who they were or the pain they were causing. It hurt but at the same time, it told reinforced her belief that physical torture would not scare these men, usually those who were this composed had dealt with it on some level themselves. She needed an angle.

After a good hour of pouring through information she now had memorized, she snapped the cover on the Starkpad shut and pressed her fingers into her temples.

Abruptly she stood and continued her wandering, only this time, she had an idea of where to go. She was going to see if Steve needed a break.

As she walked, she let her mind turn over everything that had happened in the last few, draining weeks and nothing new stood out to her. Except her guilt. Even after nearly a week of having them back, she was still carrying around a considerable weight of guilt and shame. It was the reason sleep was so hard to come by and why she had taken to wandering passed the room of her sleeping friends, just to make sure. But this time, as she rounded the corner, she saw Steve sitting on the floor outside of Peter and Tony's room, his head resting back against the wall and his eyes closed. For a moment she panicked and picked up her pace. Then she forced herself to calm down, there was no way Steve would have left the room if anything was wrong. Still, she couldn't help but question why he was sitting outside. As she got close enough to the room she whispered, "Steve? What's going on?"

He looked up at her, exhaustion written across his face as he sighed, "They needed some time."

"Tony woke up?" She knew the answer before she even asked. And as he was answering Natasha chose to join him on the floor, sliding down the wall next to him.

"Yah." Steve answered non-committedly, pressing his fingers into the corners of his eyes for a moment as if warding off the headaches he never got. Then he continued, "Then he freaked out and woke Peter up." Tipping his head sideways at her, he couldn't help but ask, "Did we do everything we could?"

The uncertainty in his tone was jarring and Natasha couldn't help her knee-jerk question, "What are you talking about?"

Steve met her eyes with a simmering anger on his face before he answered in a weary tone that didn't quite match, "To get them back. Did we do everything we could?"

Natasha knew he knew the answer to that. They had spent nearly every waking moment tracking them down but finding ghosts was difficult. He knew the answer but she knew he would need to explain the situation before he would believe it. Her sympathetic voice answered his question with her own, "Steve, what happened?"

His voice had a far-away inflection to it as he answered, "Tony's angry. It's not completely directed at us but he's angry and on some level he has a right to be." He turned to face her and she saw her guilt reflected back as he said, "It took us too long to find them."

Natasha was caught up by the fact that Tony had finally woken up, that meant she could really start moving forward. Her guilt shifted to determination as she asked, "He said something to you?"

Steve was not on the same page though and his answer wasn't what she wanted, "A little. Natasha, they did a number on them." He dropped his head back against the wall.

She pressed for more, what he had told her so far wasn't worthwhile. She hurried to address his comment, "We already knew that, Steve, you've seen the footage. They were vicious, toward both of them. That's why we need to end this." And then she followed it up more deliberately, "Did Tony tell you anything more about what they wanted, if they said anything helpful?"

Steve was not one to be rushed and he answered her comments in order, "I know but you know there's something different between seeing it and hearing about it. Tony's a wreck and we already knew that Peter isn't going to be much better." Then Steve filled her in on what he had learned and how it fit with what they already knew. When he was done, she was sitting rigidly against the wall.

Finally, she broke her silence, her voice a wicked snarl, "Steve, you need to let me talk to them."

Steve could not help but feel a bit of hope from her body language, there was confidence in her tone. Still, he continued with caution, "I know, Natasha, but we have to make sure we have everything we can before we take a run at them. We need the full story from Tony and Peter but we also have to make sure we don't make this any worse."

Natasha understood better than most what would help them. She looked over at Steve, her voice finally even, "We need to end this, Steve. For everyone's sake." Then she continued, "I can do this without Tony and Peter, that's what's best for everyone." Then she repeated, her voice even and determined, "Let me talk to them." She was going to continue when a strangled cry broke the silence of the room behind them. A split-second later, Steve was on his feet and pressed the door open. Natasha was a step behind him.

* * *

 _His arms were pinned to his sides._

 _He pressed hard against whatever was holding him but it didn't give. Whatever it was, was stronger than Steve and no matter how he twisted his arms, he couldn't move._

 _The room he was in was dark and he could hear muffled cries but he couldn't quite make out what they were or where they were coming from. His senses were all over the place and it took everything he had to try to find some kind of center._

 _Then the lights flashed on, bright enough to force Peter to squint his eyes nearly closed. It was harsh but the loud noises he had associated with the painful visual stimulus never came. Instead, his vision solidified on the source of the whimpering as he watched Brad drive his foot down into Tony's chest. Peter heard multiple snaps as he saw his dad's chest deformed by the blow that somehow caved in his rib cage. Tony's strangled cry reached Peter's ears and he pulled harder against the shadowy restraints but he still couldn't get away._

 _His eyes were glued to the brutality in front of him as he struggled. He watched as Brad kicked Tony again. Peter jerked as hard as he could, using all the strength he had been hiding, but whoever or whatever was holding him didn't even flinch._

 _A voice drifted through the beating, as Jeff snarled into Peter's ear, "There's nothing you can do about it Spider-Man." Peter's eyes widened at the use of his moniker but it was quickly pulled back to the problem at hand as Brad slammed his foot into Tony's unprotected side, flipping the man onto his hip and causing him to choke and sputter in pain. Then Jeff's hissing but smooth voice cut through his distraction, "I told you I would make you an orphan."_

 _Peter couldn't help the jarring fear as he glanced up at the twisted face of their tormentor, he begged, "If you know who I am, stop. Please, just stop this. Let us go home. You have everything you want."_

 _Jeff leaned back with an amused expression on his suddenly elongated and cartoonish face before he smirked and continued to torment Peter, "You're right, I do. But I hate him and I despise you. This is just purely punishment now and I wanted to make sure that I had your attention before I did this."_

 _Peter watched Jeff saunter up to where Tony was groaning against the floor, his head resting limply onto the concrete as he tried to catch his breath. Brad stood back as Jeff stepped close and it was then that Peter saw the glint of metal in Jeff's hand. Knowing what it was he found a reserve of strength and yanked with everything he left, as screams tore out of his throat, "No! Please, don't do that! Please no!"_

 _But there was no response, no reprieve._

 _Jeff smirked at his pain and taunted, "Take one last look Spider-Man." He kicked Tony in the stomach to flip him onto his back before he took aim at Tony's chest, the whole time staring at Peter._

 _Peter knew his expression had to be wild because he felt unhinged. He was desperate and still there was no way out of their situation, he tore at his bonds and still, nothing happened. But that behavior seemed to spur Jeff on and Peter heard the infinitesimal clicks of the trigger as it came closer to firing._

 _Then, without even looking at where he was aiming, Jeff pressed the trigger with the last fraction of strength it needed. The shot didn't miss and Tony's body convulsed slightly as the bullet tore through his already mutilated chest. Peter heard as much as felt the quickly slowing thump of his dad's heart._

 _As the last beat stuttered to a stop, Peter's legs gave out and he collapsed against his bonds._

 _Broken._

 _He didn't sob._

 _He didn't scream._

 _He just stared as the last person he would ever be able to call dad lay dead at his feet._

 _He wanted to drop to his knees and hold Tony, to tell him he was sorry, that he loved him, but the unrelenting force behind him refused to let him fall. He barely even registered the motion as they started to drag him away…_

* * *

Peter's senses came back to him slowly. The first thing he realized was how hard his heart was pounding in his chest, then how quickly his breaths were coming. Rationally, he knew that if he didn't slow down his breathing he was going to hyperventilate but all he could see in front of him was his dad's quickly cooling body and part of him wondered if he would see him again if he died. It was only then that he realized his arms were still pinned to his sides and that he needed to get free. He tugged haphazardly at whatever was holding him down but the effort was half-hearted at best. Then he heard a deep, rumbling voice that resonated deep in his chest. It wasn't Jeff's voice. It was a voice Peter knew well, one that he didn't think he would ever hear again. Peter couldn't help but choke on a hiccuping sob. It was only then that he found the courage to open his eyes.

* * *

Sudden motion shook Tony painfully out of sleep. Something was trying to move out from under his clutched hands. It took Tony's exhausted mind a moment to register that it was Peter and then it took him a crucial few moments to catch his breath once Peter's elbow struck him in the side. Once Tony managed to recover enough, he recognized the signs of a nightmare. Tony tightened his arms around his whimpering son and whispered, "Shhh…Pete, it's okay. Everything's okay…Shhh…" As he comforted him, he rubbed his hands across Peter's back and up and down the arm held against his side.

Eventually, Peter looked up, "'m sorry, dad. I didn't mean to wake you up."

Tony looked at him sadly, his voice still scratchy from disuse and lingering pain, "'s okay, Pete. I needed to wake up anyway, I've been sleepin' for too long." Tony crushed his head down into Peter's hair as he took a careful breath and released it slowly, whispering, "We're safe now, everything's okay." He held him tightly for a bit before he released some of the tension on his arms and let himself look down at his son, "Wanna talk about it?" He watched as Peter's eyes flicked over to Steve and Natasha who were standing, seemingly unsure of whether they needed to be in the room. Tony hadn't even realized they had thrown the door open until he saw Peter's reaction. Knowing what Peter wanted, Tony looked up at them, "Can you give us a second?"

Relieved at not needing to make the decision, Steve nodded once before he looked back at Natasha who stepped away, followed quickly by Steve who pulled the door shut behind him.

Peter watched as the door latched closed before he felt the tension drop out of his shoulders. He was so sick of having an audience.

Tony glanced down at him and repeated, "Wanna talk about it?"

That question made Peter pause because he desperately wanted to say no, to avoid ever talking about what he was seeing in his dreams but he also knew how dangerous it could be to keep everything wrapped up too tight. He had tried that once and it had nearly destroyed him. Sam had consistently told him that he needed to talk about his nightmares. To share. But never had he been forced to talk to the person the dreams were about. Peter was torn. He didn't want to talk to anyone else but he also didn't want to tell his dad what he kept seeing. Instead, he just stared up at Tony without any idea of how to answer.

Tony watched Peter's hesitation and understood it. He remembered what it was like to constantly have people asking him that question and having to figure out ways to brush it away while keeping the reality so twisted up in his chest that it eventually drove him to distraction and folly. He refused to let Peter fall into that same place so he did what worked for him, he started talking first. Tony tucked Peter in close again and rubbed his hand up and down his arm for a few moments while he gathered his thoughts. Once he had an idea of what he was going to say, he started, "I'm glad you're safe, Pete. I couldn't have lived with myself if…" Tony couldn't bring himself to say it, "…if anything more had happened to you. I don't want to imagine what the nightmares are going to be like." Tony swallowed hard before he continued, "I know what it's like to have 'em. To have images in your head that you would give anything to wipe away. To have terrifying realizations only to wake up and feel even more jarred when you realize that what you saw was created in your own mind." He swallowed hard as he continued, "To have to watch your loved ones injured or die in increasingly terrible ways while you can't do anything more but watch." He heard Peter whimper again at that last bit and Tony felt a lump form in his throat, he knew what his son was seeing. Knew it would start to mirror his own nightmares once the drugs wore off. Tears sprang to his eyes and for a moment, he wanted to kill Jeff and his men for what they had done. Still he needed to focus. He pressed a kiss into Peter's hair as he continued to run his arm up and down his son's back.

Peter leaned back slightly and looked up at his dad. Tony had tears in his eyes as he tried to persuade Peter to tell him even a little about what was going on and while the idea terrified him. He also knew that it was healthier for him to share than to hold it all in. Plus he knew his dad wouldn't leave him alone and he didn't want to put any more stress on him than he already had. Taking a cue from where Tony seemed to want him anyway, Peter ducked his head back into Tony's shoulder, trying to summon the courage to finally voice some of what was driving his nightmares. Tony didn't push him, just waited patiently as Peter tried to figure out where to start. When he couldn't figure out a good point, he started bluntly in an embarrassed whisper, "You die." Peter swallowed hard before he tried again, his voice a little more steady, "Every time I sleep, you die. I try to help but I'm always too late, they make me watch and then they take me away. That…that's when I wake up." He wasn't crying anymore, he didn't have the strength, but once he started talking, he couldn't stop. He hiccuped as he continued, "It's like it was before but this time they know I'm Spider-Man but still they don't stop. Jeff just laughs and tells me its all my fault. That they were just doing this to hurt you because he hated us." Peter blinked as he pulled his head from under Tony's chin and looked up, his voice soft and full of loathing, "I'm sorry you got injured because of me. I can't help but wish you had just given me up." His voice dropped almost inaudibly as he added, "I wish I had never listened to you and told them who I was before they had done anything."

Tony's first instinct was to be angry, to interrupt, to rage against the wrongness of Peter's statements but if there was anything he had learned from falling backward into the role of this teenager's father it was that he needed to think before he spoke. He took a wobbly breath through his nose to calm his racing mind and when that was not quite enough time, he laid his hand alongside Peter's face and closed his eyes for a moment.

When he was suitably calm, Tony opened his eyes and spoke, "I know you know this but you obviously need to hear it again." Tony's voice dropped, becoming a threatening, protective growl when he continued, "I will _never_ give you up and I will _never_ give up on you." He leaned back until he was looking Peter in the eyes before he continued, "This was not your fault. This was Jeff's and his men, no one else's. Regardless of the consequences, I would have done everything the same way because, I will always use my considerable control to ensure that nothing happens to you, regardless of what you want. And I can't help but point out that I'm not dead, and until I am – a long time from now – I will make sure you're safe. Hell, if I can figure out how, I'm going to protect you from beyond the grave."

For as much as he didn't wanted it to, Peter's heart swelled at the sentiment. For as guilty as he felt and for as painful as the nightmares were, there was something incredibly reassuring and calming about knowing that Tony felt that way about him. But then an image of Pepper flashed through his mind and he realized how selfish he was being thinking like that. Peter's voice was desperate as he pressed Tony to stop thinking that way, "You can't think like that anymore. You need to think about Morgan first and foremost. He's yours. I'm not really."

But before Peter even finished his statement, Tony was already shaking his head, his voice a mix of his indomitable determination and brutal honesty, as he corrected, "Nope. That's not true. You're my son, Peter. I don't need to think about Morgan more than you because you're both mine. The same rules that apply to you are going to apply to that little monster when he or she decides to be a terror like his or her older brother."

Peter wanted to argue but knew he wasn't going to change Tony's mind. And he didn't know if he really wanted to. That made him feel even more guilty.

But Tony had learned a thing or two about reading the people closest to him. He pressed against Peter's shoulder with enough force to lift the almost limp teenager out of where he was tucked into his side. It was painful but Tony had meant what he said before so he gritted his teeth and leaned into the capabilities of the drugs numbing his nerve endings. It took a moment for Peter to get what he was trying to do and once he did, he pressed himself up into a sitting position before facing Tony, confusion, pain, and despondency written across his face. He dropped his head to his chest. That was not what Tony had wanted. He pressed himself up and lifted Peter's chin for a moment, forcing him to look him in the eyes before giving him a soft smile. When Peter didn't return it, Tony spoke quietly, "Don't feel guilty."

Peter's eyes widened as he looked carefully up and tried to wrap his head around the idea that Tony knew exactly what he was thinking. Still, he refused to talk, he didn't trust himself.

Tony took the shock as a boon, at least he had Peter's undivided attention. Maintaining the eye contact, even after he had dropped his hand when it had become too heavy, he continued, "You're allowed to be okay with what I'm telling you. You're allowed to be okay with asking me for anything you need. And guess what? I'm allowed to protect you and help you without you asking. You aren't a distraction or a burden or any other form of onus your brilliant mind can come up with. And you're not in some way going to distract, or take, me from Morgan. I cannot wait for you to met the little person because you're going to be a wonderful big brother."

Finally, Peter figured out why he felt guilty, why some admittedly small, selfless part of him wanted Tony to stop caring about him and focus on his real family. He croaked out, "I'm afraid."

Tony's voice was an empathetic whisper, "Of what, Pete?"

Peter held Tony's gaze as he explained in a pained whimper, "Of losing you because of something I do wrong. Of taking you away from Ms. Potts and Morgan."

Tony tugged Peter in close again, "It's not gonna happen, Pete. Nothing like that is going to happen."

Peter begged for reassurance, his voice small, "How can you know that?"

Tony thought for a moment as he wrapped his arms back around his son. When he finally realized why it could never happen, his voice betrayed his confidence, "Peter, I killed a Titan to get you back. If Thanos and the might of the elements of cosmic creation couldn't stop me, what makes you think anyone else is going to be able to?"

The confidence in his tone caused Peter to pull back in surprise. He met Tony's gaze and tried to discern if the man truly believed that statement. It only took a split second for Peter to realize that he completely did. For whatever reason, that argument above all else made him actually feel better. Tears sprang into his eyes as he tried to figure out what to say.

But again, Tony said it for him, his voice quiet, "I love you, Pete. Short of biology, you're my son and I'm going to protect and take care of you for as long as I can. Please don't feel guilty about what happened, I would do it all again if it meant protecting you."

Peter ducked back into Tony's shoulder before the tears could start rolling down his face. Once he was safe, he let some of the tears escape before he whispered, "I love you, dad." Then he couldn't help but choke out, "Thank you." He couldn't vocalize exactly why the gratitude was necessary but he was compelled to say it.

The change in his behavior helped Tony a bit too but he couldn't help the wave of guilt-fueled nausea that settled in his stomach. He could only hope that some of that got through to Peter. Still, Peter was his responsibility so he swallowed the guilt and focused on his son. He knew it would eventually fade back into its normal dull ache. Peter and Morgan would help with that too. Wrapping his arms more comfortably around Peter's frame, Tony rested his cheek on his son's head and closed his eyes. Any other time, it would have taken him time to fall asleep but the drugs, the emotional drain, and the pain forced his mind to shut down faster than normal.

* * *

 **I'm hoping that was a bit more positive than some of the chapters I've put up in a while. I'm starting to pull everything back together and set everything back to right.**

 **Also just as a side note, Tony doesn't know that he's having a son yet which is why I had him answering ambiguously at that point. In my mind, he was also a little too preoccupied to catch the one time Peter used a pronoun to describe Morgan. Tony hasn't been able to talk to Pepper yet, so that will be coming soon as well.**

 **Anyway, thank you so much for reading and as always, feel free to let me know what you think in the comments!**

 **I hope you have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone!**

 **I have a little bit of extra time and figured I would fill it with some writing so I hope this is a nice surprise :)**

 **I want to make sure that I say thank you to my amazing reviewers, the comments always make me smile, so thank you to:**

 **\- the fantastic Indigene Syke, I'm glad you liked Natasha's perspective, its sometimes hard to write for her so I'm happy it worked! And I had to do that for sure :)**

 **\- the amazing carajiggirl, Thank you so much for saying that! I'm glad that the pace of the chapter worked for you and thank you for the review :)**

 **\- the wonderful NameIsKohl, I appreciate the review and I'm glad you're enjoying the story!**

 **\- the awesome riverofdaydreams, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter so much! Thank you for reviewing :)**

 **\- the superb Ancalime8301, I felt that way too so I'm glad it worked for you :)**

 **The story is starting to wrap up and I hope it's still good!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Natasha turned to Steve as he pulled the door shut behind them, her dark eyes flaring. She threw her arm out toward the door and snarled, "I'm done watching this." She took a deep breath, hoping to control some of her anger but failing as she continued, "I'm going to end this with or without your approval."

Steve took a half a step back as he watched her carefully. Natasha had been more inclined to embrace her anger since the events with Thanos but normally it was still mitigated by her trademark pragmatism. This was true anger again, something he hadn't seen since they had gone after the infinity stones. He knew better than to argue and simply replied, "Tomorrow."

Natasha didn't need Steve's approval to do what she was planning but she appreciated it nonetheless. They needed to all be on the same page right now and if he had her back, it would make it easier. Natasha felt the familiar calm that often accompanied her jobs. This was charted territory, seeing a lost Peter and a distraught Tony was not, but this would give her a way to deal with that. Anger sufficiently slaked, Natasha turned and fell back against the wall next to Steve. If they were quiet, they could hear Tony talking in hushed tones and Peter's answering whispers but it was all too quiet to get a good handle on what was being said. Not that they needed, or wanted, to hear it. After a few minutes, Natasha turned and looked up at Steve, "I can stay for the rest of your shift."

He fell back against the wall, mimicking her stance, but kept his eyes locked straight ahead as he answered, "No, if you're going to talk to him, you should probably get some sleep tonight."

Her realistic tone was back when she answered, "That's not going to happen. I couldn't sleep before, there's no way I'm getting any sleep now."

The two lapsed into companionable silence, both knowing that Natasha was right and neither one really willing to leave. Natasha slid down the wall and tucked her knees into her chest, resting her head on her folded hands while Steve followed, laying his head back and kicking his legs out in front of him. Eventually, the quiet murmurings lapsed into silence and the two in the hallway were able to breathe a bit easier but they were not quick to move back into the room. Tony and Peter needed some time and after what they had been through, Natasha and Steve weren't willing to discount that need.

* * *

When Pepper and May stepped around the corner the next morning, Captain America and Black Widow were asleep with their backs propped against the wall. Immediately, both women picked up their pace, halting awkwardly in front of them as May crouched down while Pepper watched nervously.

May laid her hand on Steve's arm before quietly asking, "Steve?" When he didn't stir, she shook the arm she was holding and spoke a little louder, demanding, "Steve."

Steve jerked awake and as he opened his eyes, he saw the worried expressions of May and Pepper. He coughed a few times, waking Natasha in the process but he wasn't able to say anything before May started speaking. Her voice was hurried as she tripped on her words trying to get them out, "Is everything alright? Are they okay?"

Steve immediately regretted the concern they had caused as he rushed to explain, "They're okay. Tony woke up last night and asked if we could leave the room. Nothing happened, I just don't think he wanted to be watched again. They're fine, I promise." Steve was a little reluctant to tell either one about the nightmares, that was a little too far and he wasn't sure if it was really his place to tell them anyway. He quickly recovered from his train of thought and stood, Natasha quickly following. But May and Pepper were seemingly frozen as if asking for permission to go in. Fully understanding their hesitation given what he had just said, he turned the handle on the door, but before opening it he said, "I'm sure they want to see you, just know they're probably still asleep." Both women nodded before stepping purposefully into the room. Once they were through, he carefully pulled it closed and turned to Natasha, "I guess we have some work to do."

Without another word, she turned and stalked down the hall. Steve hurried to follow her.

* * *

May and Pepper pulled chairs as close as they could to the bed and waited.

For a while, they sat in quiet companionship, neither one wanting to wake up the two they were there to see but the longer they sat, the more often May noticed Pepper shifting in her seat. And not in the way she had seen other woman move to get comfortable, Pepper was moving multiple times every few minutes. May couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for her, it had to be hard to be married to someone who continually got into trouble, it was stressful on its own but it had to be worse while she was pregnant. Not to mention, May knew how Pepper felt about Peter too so to have both of them in a similar position had to be even worse. With that realization running through her mind, May whispered, "Is there anything I can do to help, Pepper?"

Pepper pressed herself higher in the chair for a moment. Then she shifted again, laying her hand on her belly as she used her other arm to push herself sideways. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she gave May a small smile before she answered, "I'm alright, he's just decided that my body is a punching bag today. He's kicking a lot more than normal…" A wince cut her off as she held her breath for a moment before letting it out slowly and finishing her statement, "…specifically my ribs." Pepper pressed her hand a little higher before turning her gaze back to May.

May returned her smile and stood, holding out her hand. When Pepper gave her a questioning glance, she explained, "Peter kicked a lot too, I remember Richard used to say that walks helped Mary get him to calm down."

Pepper smiled at the suggestion, somewhat glad for the distraction as she grabbed ahold of May's hand, allowing her to help her out of the chair. They only made it as far as the door before Pepper glanced back at the pair in the bed and met May's eyes, "I don't want to be away too long."

May just gave her a small smile and agreed, "I don't either but we don't know how much longer they'll be out and there's no sense in Morgan kicking away at your ribs while you wait."

Pepper gave a thankful, tired smile and stepped through the threshold. May followed, quietly pulling the door closed behind her. Once they were in the hallway, it was a little easier to breathe. They took a few steps together before May asked, "How long have you known?"

Pepper's confusion was clear when she didn't answer the question, "What do you mean?"

May smirked, then elaborated, "Peter told me that you and Tony were going to wait to find out the gender of the baby but you've said he a few times now."

Pepper returned the smile and put her hand back on her belly, "Peter said the same thing, you know?" When she caught May's eyes widen, she chuckled before she continued, "I found out about a week ago. I couldn't miss the doctor's appointment but I was…" Her smile fell and she swallowed hard but kept going, "Tony was supposed to be there and I was hoping he would be back but when he wasn't…I just…I couldn't help but ask."

May laid her hand on Pepper's arm in support, whispering, "I understand, Pepper." And she did, maybe not quite in the same way but she understood loss and Pepper had been afraid she had lost two people. May understood that.

Pepper continued, "I just…I thought this was over. I thought the threats were done." She turned to May, her expression more worn than May had ever seen when she whispered, "Why is this still happening? What if…what if they don't make it out next time?"

That question caught May off guard. She had the same thoughts herself but to hear them voiced held a level of terror she only allowed in when she was by herself in the dark safety of her room. It was jarring to hear it out loud. She knew what Pepper meant intimately, she worried about it every time Peter went on patrols. She could only guess what it was like to have that multiplied by two. Still, she tried, "I don't know, Pepper. But I know that Tony will always do everything he can to come back to his family. And Peter has always been more stubborn than his good manners suggest." She took a few steps before she realized something else, "And it would take a god to protect anyone who tried to pull them apart."

Pepper smirked at that characterization. All of those things were true and the sentiment did make her feel a bit better.

May tried to turn the conversation back to happier news, knowing the continued stress was unhealthy for Pepper and the baby, she asked, "So is everything ready for Morgan? You're due the middle of next month, aren't you?"

For as single-minded as Pepper could be, that diverted her attention. She knew what May was doing and was thankful for it. Plus, she couldn't help but smile as she turned around at the end of the hallway, continuing, "Yes I am and it's almost done…" She described everything as they walked along the hallway, encouraged by May's questions and engaged nods. For a moment, Pepper couldn't help but think this was as much as distraction for May as it was for her. The conversation took them back to the doorway but as she dropped her hand on the handled, she stopped and looked over, "Thank you, May. For everything." She let the meaning sink in before she laid her other hand on her belly and added, "He seems like he's calmed down a bit."

May returned the smile, taking all of Pepper's meaning, "You're welcome, that's what family's for. And I'm glad he's relaxed a bit." Pepper pressed down on the handle and stepped inside, May following closely at her heels and pulling the door shut behind her. The two on the bed were still asleep but Pepper was able to rest a little easier in the chair and May couldn't help but sit a little more comfortably too. She understood why Peter always wanted to help people, but she couldn't help the fleeting wish that it didn't get him injured so often.

* * *

Well into the afternoon, the small family was still cloistered in the room. Pepper and May had fallen asleep, curled the best they could in the large chairs. Tony was snoring softly, his arms still wrapped tightly around Peter who was tucked, almost uncomfortably into Tony's side.

Eventually, Peter woke up. Consciousness returned slowly but one of the first things he noticed was that for the first time in a week, he wasn't dealing with a cold sweat or a loud heartbeat in his ears. He felt calm, more controlled than he had in a long time. And that was before he even opened his eyes. He could hear the soft breaths of his dad and the reality of his situation came back just as quickly. They were safe. Peter stretched carefully, unwilling to shift Tony's arms far enough to wake him up and then slowly winked his eyes open. He couldn't help but smile when he saw May and Pepper asleep next to the bed. He reminded himself again that they were okay and if it sounded like Tony's voice in his head, there was a reason for that. Leaning into the serenity of the room, Peter closed his eyes again. He allowed himself to doze for a little longer.

It was an hour or so later that the rest of the group slowly came to. As he heard the first whispers from May and Pepper, Peter opened his eyes again and smiled at them, whispering, "Hey." But before Peter could say anything else, Tony groaned into consciousness.

Tony shifted a bit before he looked down at Peter, "Hey, kid, how're you feelin'?" But when he noticed that Peter had a lopsided grin on his face, he narrowed his eyes good-naturedly and asked, "What are you smiling at?" Tony could feel the tight coil in his chest release a little seeing that look on Peter's face again.

Peter couldn't help but chuckle a bit at Tony's confusion and May and Pepper's silence. He could tell from the tears in Pepper's eyes that it wasn't by choice that she hadn't said anything but May had a mischievous smile on her face that mimicked Peter's. He carefully gestured over the bed, "We have some visitors, dad."

Tony immediately turned his attention in the direction of Peter's hand. Before he even saw her, his disused voice croaked out, "Pepper?" But when he caught sight of her tear-filled eyes, tears sprang into his own. He almost didn't notice Peter slip out from underneath his arms. Almost. But that was the only thing that could have pulled his attention away from his beautiful wife and for a moment, Tony turned back to Peter, sheer concern on his face that was mirrored in his tone, "Peter?"

Peter just smiled from where he had thrown his legs over the bed, "I'm just giving you some space." He leaned back to give Tony a hug and then he slid onto his feet, "I'm not going far." And he wasn't, just far enough slip into the chair next to his aunt, he still couldn't handle that yet.

Before Peter was even in the chair, Pepper wrapped Tony up as tightly as she could. She couldn't help the few tears that escaped as she whispered into his ear, "I love you." When she finally pulled back, she shifted so she was balanced on the edge of the bed, wrapping her a hand around Tony's and running her other through his disheveled hair. A tearful smile spread across her face as she spoke softly, "I'm so glad to see you."

Tony pulled her hand up and kissed it before tucking it into his chest and looking back up at her, "I'm glad to see you too." Then he laid his hand alongside her belly, "How's the baby doing?"

Pepper threw a smirk back at May and Peter without Tony noticing before answering, "He's doing well. If you wait a few minutes, you'll probably feel him start kicking again."

It took the second time she said it but Tony immediately looked up at her with wonder before he quietly croaked out, "He? We're having a boy?"

Pepper's eyes welled up again and she nodded. Tony mirrored her expression as a wide smile broke across his face. It still looked gruesome where it highlighted the bruises but he couldn't care, he just stared happily at her, for once at a loss for words. Then he flicked his attention to Peter and his smile widened.

The news set the tone of the rest of the day. It was finally something good in the midst of everything that had happened and as the family settled in, alternating between innocuous conversation and comfortable silence, Peter and Tony started to feel a little more normal.

* * *

Natasha strode into the room and sat down without a word, knowing that any type of aggressive strategy was not going to get her what she needed. She needed disinterest and subtlety because that would be the thing to piss him off. Careful not to slam the file on the table, she placed it in front of her and folded her arms overtop for a moment fixing him with a calculated stare.

Jeff stared back.

Eventually, she spoke. Her voice was even, deliberate, "We need to talk about a few things." But before he could respond, Natasha continued, "Do would prefer Jeff or would you rather I called you by your name actual name? Frank Reid." There could have been arrogance in her tone but Natasha fought to keep it down. This was not meant to get a reaction, just to prove how much she knew. She wasn't surprised when he didn't react to his name and continued, "You were a captain in the U.S. Army special forces, dishonorably discharged." She watched him under her eye lashes as she flicked through a few papers, only mildly annoyed that the obviously recorded lie didn't get a rise out of him, but then again, it wouldn't out of her either. She continued in a more conversational tone, "A stellar record until you, what? Decided to suddenly attack a superior officer? Now that seems like a strange thing for an otherwise outstanding officer to do." She shrugged when he didn't react, "I get it though. Sometimes superiors don't know the way to do their job, just how to ensure their advancement."

Jeff knew what she was doing, she was attempting to form some kind of relationship with him, bonding over shitty bosses and all that jazz. It wasn't working and honestly he knew it wouldn't, the end of his career was a lie. No terrible boss who got his buddy killed or anything like that, just the kind of lie necessary in case anyone dug too deep. Something he was annoyed she had done, no one was even supposed to have been able to find his name.

Natasha continued through his service record, at this point she was just talking, proving what she had. She mentioned various missions and off the books assignments that only those with the highest clearance had access too. The whole time, she watched his expression, waiting for him to get suitably annoyed with her prying. When she reached the end of her file, she leaned forward and simply said, "Tell me who hired you."

Frank had gotten to the point where he was more or less tuning her out, he knew his record and while each new piece of information was an annoyance, it wasn't anything close to dangerous for him. Then she switched topics, the juxtaposition threw him off and for a moment he hesitated. Then finding his footing again, he snarked back, "And why would I do that? You didn't ask nicely." He leaned forward, mimicking her body language before he continued, "I know your reputation but let me save you some time, I can tell you right now, I'm not talking to anyone but Stark and Peter."

Natasha had assumed he was going to say something like that and she kept her voice mostly even, allowing only a small bit of fear to creep in when she replied, "That's not possible."

Frank heard the ring of fear in her tone and while he was mostly sure it was put on, the part of him that hoped it was real was enjoying the idea of rattling the Avengers. He pressed on that fear, teasing, "And why's that?" Then he dropped his voice into a sarcastic venom, "Is Stark too afraid to face me? Or is he too ashamed by his son to come in here?"

Natasha had been hoping to see some of that anger. It was directed at Peter, not Tony. She kept her face dispassionate as she waited for him to continue.

The suddenly talkative woman had stopped talking and for a split second, Frank wasn't quite sure why. Had he actually rattled her? Actually gotten under her skin? She had been the only one to attack him after he had been bound. Sure the others had been rough but she had walked up and attacked him. The small part of him that was insisting he had rattled her grew a little more vocal and he wasn't sure how safe that was. Still, he for some reason felt compelled to continue talking, his voice hopeful when he asked, "Wait, Stark's not dead is he? I knew we did a number on him but he was still breathing when we left." He paused dramatically before he continued, his voice predatory, "I could just talk to the kid then, we have an understanding." She flinched when he mentioned Peter, now what was that about? He was curious so he kept pressing, shaking his head, he let a little disappointment into his tone, "No, Stark's not dead. If he was, we'd all be gone by now, dumped in some nondescript prison where the sun don't shine and the food tastes like cardboard."

Natasha finally took her turn to speak, aware that he was going to stop talking if she didn't keep the conversation going. She carefully steered the conversation in her direction, "You hate him?" She lilted the end so it sounded like a question but kept it open ended enough for the man to fill in his own assumptions.

Frank narrowed his eyes at her, he knew she was playing an angle but he wasn't sure what it was. He was unwilling to give her more until she explained what she wanted so he answered with trepidation, "Isn't that obvious?

Natasha fixed him with an equally suspicious look, her voice guarded, "No."

Frank couldn't help his reaction, "Really? I had people beat the shit out of him until he told me what I wanted to know. You could do that to someone you liked?"

So he hated Tony, that confirmed what she thought she already knew. She didn't answer, just raised her eyebrow, allowing him to continue to fill in the blanks.

Frank answered in a breathy, "Damn." He didn't understand this woman, at one point she looked angry but now she just looked bored. But what was even more frustrating is that for some reason he felt compelled to find the reason why she kept changing. So he kept talking, his own curiosity pulling the answers out, "Yah I hate him, wouldn't actually mind it if he was dead." She didn't respond, just continued to stare, so Frank pressed, "I just wonder what his kid would think." That got a reaction, she flinched again when he mentioned Peter.

Natasha's voice held a note of anger when she answered, "You hate him too."

Frank tried to be nonchalant but he couldn't hold back the sneer when he answered, "Not particularly, but he's Stark's bastard so really, he can't have too many redeeming qualities."

Natasha smirked internally, she had correctly guessed the dynamic between the three. She pressed, "So he makes you angry?"

Frank scoffed at her question, "Yah I guess you could say that. I mean, you tell me. You're the expert at reading people."

Natasha took the initiative and leaned forward onto her forearms, before she carefully spoke, "Here's what I see." She paused for a moment before continuing, "I see a father who wants to do everything he can to help his daughter. A daughter he loves and who he hopes loves and remembers him even though he probably hasn't see her in a while." She watched Frank's expression fall a bit before she continued, "And then he comes across this teenager who isn't even willing to offer the same consideration to his own father, even after he lied to protect him." She watched him as she said it, seeing the infinitesimal changes in his expression, the twitch in the corner of his eye that he just couldn't stop. She kept going, "Not only that but Peter also lied to you. You could forgive Tony, he was protecting his son but Peter, he ignored Tony, ignored what he was trying to do." She winced internally as she was thankful that Tony and Peter were safely ensconced away from here, she would never want them to hear what she was saying.

Still Frank didn't respond verbally so she kept pushing, drawing the connections between what he was afraid would happen with his daughter and what he thought Peter had done, "Peter disavowed him. This ungrateful teenager didn't even bother to thank Tony for trying to help him. Instead, he stayed quiet for as long as he could. He convinced you he was innocent, tried to get away from where he could have helped his father, all because he was too selfish to tell you who he was." She leaned forward, a forgiving smile on her lips as she continued, "I know you tried to help Peter, tried to give him a break. And I know that he lied to get that concession." She had to make sure that the anger was directed at Peter because if she directed it Tony, this wouldn't work. Hatred was a powerful emotion but it caused indifference, anger caused rage. She watched for a moment more before she kept going, "You would have let Peter help him if you had known the truth. You of course couldn't have let them go but, it could have made it a little easier on Tony. Maybe then it would have been easier to get what you needed. Maybe you could have given him some dignity. But Peter lied to you." He had slightly leaned in toward her, even if he was still as silent as ever. She was trying to give him an out, an explanation for what he had done. Peter had given her the key to this days ago but it had taken her time to figure out how to use it. Then she switched gears, her voice was soft, empathetic, "I bet you taught Bella that the truth is important, that she should always be honest, especially when it could help someone else." Frank's eyes finally flicked up to her's and she saw the pain replace the anger in his eyes.

That was what she had been waiting for. She pressed just a little more, "I bet she always tries to make everyone around her smile, even when she's not feeling well herself. She always tried to make you happy whenever she could, didn't she?" Natasha felt a little sick using the man's daughter but then she thought about the bruises on Peter's face, the terrified way he clung to Tony and she steeled her resolve. At least she wasn't willing to attack her. Pressing home the attention she had, she leaned in close, her voice becoming conspiratorial as she said, "I can help her." She watched tears swell in his eyes but they didn't fall as he fought to keep the dispassionate expression on his face. Natasha had him on the line, "I know she's very sick and I'm guessing from what you tried to do that you have no other options."

Frank knew she was lying. He knew that there was no way someone like Stark would agree to help after what he had done. So he forced himself to ignore her statement, regardless of what he wanted to think, there was no way these people would help him.

After a moment of his conflicted stare, Natasha deflated internally, she knew what that meant. She cocked her head to the side, and fixed him with an exacting stare, "You think I'm lying."

"Yes." He said bluntly before he continued, "I think you're very good at what you do and many people would have fallen for that."

That was not what she wanted to hear.

Frank leaned forward more, "Look, I understand what you're trying to do. But you'll renege on your offer. That means that I put my daughter in the line of fire and that is the last thing I'm willing to do. I'm not Stark." Frank winced slightly at his words, he hadn't meant to sound as defensive as he did but he was willing to admit, at least to himself, that she had hit uncomfortably close to home. Hearing his daughter's name uttered so coolly in this setting shook him. Still, he forced himself to calm down before he continued, "You'll have to find another way to get what you're looking for, because you're not getting it from me."

Natasha watched him for a moment, knowing she had at least rattled him. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew what she needed to do next.

* * *

As she stepped into the hallway, Bucky and Sam were standing there apparently having watched the interrogation through the glass. When the door clicked behind her, Sam was the first one to speak, "So I have an idea of what you're thinking and he's not going to be okay with that."

Natasha growled under her breath before replying, "I know, I'm just hoping to convince him otherwise. I need to talk to Steve."

* * *

Natasha paused outside their door and took a deep breath. This was not going to go well. She sighed out the breath she was holding and pressed the door open. Stepping in, she saw Tony and Pepper on the bed while Peter and May were in the chairs. For the first time in a few days, they all looked relatively relaxed. Natasha almost turned around again, almost left the room, or at least thought about changing the subject but at the same time, she knew she would have to broach it eventually. There was no good time for this. She had to have been wearing her expression on her sleeve too because as soon as they caught sight of her, the conversation dropped, as though all the air had been sucked out of the room. That Natasha had not counted on. She coughed a little awkwardly before starting, "Could I speak to Peter and Tony for a bit?"

May and Pepper seemed to sense her need. May gave Peter a hug, rubbing his back comfortingly before standing and waiting for Pepper. Pepper wrapped Tony in a hug and whispered something to him before standing. As she stepped passed, Pepper laid her hand on Natasha's forearm, whispering, "Thank you." Then she followed May out of the room.

Once the door was closed, Natasha looked uneasily between the two. She wasn't quite sure how to start. So she did what always worked best for Tony, she started talking, gauging their reactions as she went, "I talked to Jeff…" She paused when she saw the two of them wince. Still, when neither said anything, she continued, "He's refusing to talk unless it's to the two of you."

Immediately, all semblance of the relaxed atmosphere shattered as both of them sat higher in their respective seats. Tony went rigid, his face morphing into an angry grimace highlighted by still dark bruising, while Peter leaned back into his chair with a sickened look on his face. It was Tony who spoke though, his voice a threatening snarl as he immediately understood what she was asking, "I'm sorry, you want what to happen?" He glared dangerously at her as reached out toward where Peter was sitting. His voice was even harder when he kept her from replying, "You are not taking my son anywhere near him."

Peter could tell how agitated Tony was getting and he knew it wasn't safe. Without a word, he moved onto to edge of the bed and grabbed a hold of Tony's outstretched hand as he tried to encourage him to calm down. Tony shifted and pulled him close instead, wrapping his arm around Peter's shoulders.

Natasha was as frustrated with his reaction as he was with the situation and she let her anger and disbelief color her tone as she snapped, "You know I would never let anything happen to Peter." Then she took a breath and calmed her voice, "But I'm just letting you know what's happening. He wants to talk to both of you together but if I have to I will find another way."

The bit about both of them caught Peter's attention and his voice found the line between terror and fury when he responded, "He can't go in there with him."

Natasha sighed and shook her head as she tried to get them to understand, "Look, neither one of you would be in there without the other and the both of you would not be in there without me. He doesn't believe I can offer anything and he's refusing to say anything until he can see the two of you so, either you both come down with me or we keep digging."

But Tony was not ready to let this end and he sniped back, "Aren't you some superspy or something? Just do your job and convince him that you can do whatever you want." He knew he would regret that later but he was just too raw right now to allow thoughts like that to censor him.

Natasha narrowed her eyes at the comment but knew he didn't mean it. She tried to keep her voice low and controlled as she explained the reason why she wasn't enough this time, "Remember when you wouldn't tell him anything because it was Peter's life on the line? He's doing the same thing to me. His motivations are greater than anything I can do to him short of bringing his daughter into this facility and threatening her, which I'm not willing to do. The most expedient way is for you to come down with me."

Tony immediately snarled, "No."

But at the same time, Peter's quietly acquiesced, "Okay."

Both sets of eyes snapped to him and he sat up a bit higher at the attention. But Tony was not ready for that and he wrapped his arm tighter around his son's shoulders, the desperation of the action belying his harsh order, "No."

Peter knew what that meant though, his dad was scared. He could help with that. So he turned under Tony's arm, his voice soft, "I want this to be over and if this is the only way, then this is what we do." He thought for just a moment before he continued, "Plus, we should help her. His daughter I mean. She didn't do anything wrong and I think she's the only reason why he did all of this, it doesn't seem fair to let her continue to be sick just because of something her dad did."

Tony couldn't find it in him to argue with that. How do you tell a kid that you told to be better that he wasn't allowed to be better? Still, the realization of what they were going to do made him sick and he tried anyway, "Pete, we don't have to do this. Natasha can find another way."

Peter was already shaking his head, "This is the best way."

Tony felt tears spring to his eyes as he looked down at his son with an odd mix of pride and fury in his tone, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Peter nodded under his arm before vocalizing it, "Yah."

Tony sighed, squeezed Peter tight again, and turned back to Natasha, the fierce anger back in his tone, "You had better make sure he behaves himself."

* * *

 **Okay so I'm thinking there are only a few chapters left of this story. I hope everyone is still enjoying it and that this chapter lived up to your expectations. Chapters like this are some of the hardest ones for me to write so I'm hoping it didn't come across as too disjointed or unbelievable.**

 **As always, feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.**

 **Have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey everyone!**

 **So this would have been out a bit earlier but I managed to spill water on my trackpad and put my computer out of commission for a good half of the day :/. But, in one of my more anticlimactic stories, its working again so I was able to get another chapter up.**

 **On to something much more relevant:**

 **Holy crap reviews! Thank you guys so much for all the kind words, its so cool to read your perspectives on something that I have mostly worked out in my head because it gives me a way to see what you're connecting with and what isn't working as well so thank you for the time you take to review the chapters, I appreciate it. And I want to say thank you specifically to:**

 **\- the singular riverofdaydreams, I'm glad you liked the surprise :) it was nice to have some extra time to write so I wanted to make sure I shared.**

 **\- the wonderful skydancer121, Your comment was a wonderful surprise as well :) and I'm really glad to know that you're liking the story, it means a lot to read that!**

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 **\- the excellent NameIsKohl, I love your comments so much, they make me laugh. But I'm so sorry to leave you hanging and I hope this makes up for it!**

 **\- the marvelous anyctophilian, You might be reading some of my earlier drafts...I hope this chapter answers your question :/**

 **\- the astounding bluepencils12, Holy crap reviews! First of all, I have to say that I'm really glad you like my villain. I really wanted to try to write someone more relatable (to some extent) because I've done the really easy villain a few times and I was curious how I would write a more complex one. That being said, I hope he's still living up to your expectations in these later chapters. Second, I'm so glad that the characterizations work for you! It's nice to hear because that it what I always go back and forth the most on before I post so it's really awesome to read your commentary on them. Thank you so much for the time you put into your comments, it's superb to read :)**

 **\- the phenomenal carajiggirl, I'm really glad you're excited for the new chapter and I hope this lives up to your expectations! As for your question, I can't quite answer that yet...I hope you enjoy :)**

 **You're all so wonderful and make writing even more fun!**

 **So without further ado...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

When Pepper and May stepped back a few hours later, there was a distinctly darker pall settled over the room, both literally and figuratively. It was an odd juxtaposition though because the scene didn't seem to warrant the gloom. Peter was propped up next to Tony, his face relaxed as he slept with his dad's arm tucked around his shoulders. Tony was dozing lightly as the telltale tones of "Johnny B. Good" built in the background, identifying the movie playing on low volume in the darkened room before they could even see the screen.

The soft creaking of the door drew Tony's languid attention as he watched the two enter with hooded eyes. God he was tired. He was bone achingly tired but as Peter shifted slightly in his sleep, he forced himself to be okay, he needed to be okay because he couldn't afford to break down right now. He knew he would have his time, when the medication wore off and he was with it enough to dream, but right now, he had to be a rock. Tony closed his eyes for one more moment and gathered his nearly frayed wits before looking back up at the two who had settled in the chairs next to him.

May shared a glance with Pepper when she couldn't find a source for the palpable tension in the room. As some understanding passed between them, Pepper's voice was low as she leaned forward to ask Tony, "Is everything alright?"

Tony shook his head as he instinctually vocalized his struggled, "No." But then he paused, forcing himself into a calmer headspace, he absolutely could not tell them what was going on, not right now. His voice was infinitely more optimistic when he elaborated, "Sorry, that's not what I meant. Everything is going to be okay, Natasha just had some frustrating news about our friends downstairs and she was filling me in. It'll be taken care of tomorrow."

Pepper heard the stress in his voice and took his statement for the thinly veiled attempt at deflection that it was. She leaned as far forward as she could and grabbed ahold of Tony's hand, asking quietly, "Are you okay?"

Tony could have kissed her, would have if he had been able to move. Without knowing he needed it, she was acting as his anchor, tying him down and given him a way to think rationally about what threats they were going to face. And it gave him a confidence he didn't realize he needed. He gave her a soft, if sad, smile, "I will be, Pep, I promise. I just need a little more time."

Pepper knew what that meant. He didn't need time to be better, he needed time to process before he could tell her about it. She could give him that. It hurt but she could deal with it. Pepper knew that the thing that was keeping him together right now was taking care of Peter. Whether he admitted it or not, taking care of people helped him immensely and while the focus was not ideal because he needed to focus on himself too in order to heal, Pepper understood his motivation. She would be with him when it was time for him to focus on himself. And so would Peter. She mirrored his sad smile and kissed him gently, "I know." She sat back and looked over at May who shared her concern but who was good enough at reading scenarios to know that anything she asked was going to cause more problems than it would provide answers.

Eventually, some of the others stopped by, bringing food for the four and providing quiet strength. The conversation was muted but there as everyone participated the best they could. It didn't solve the issues but it definitely made them easier to deal with. They stayed for a while until eventually, everyone started to drift out, leaving Tony and Peter alone again.

* * *

The next day, sometime after they had woken up, Natasha stepped into the room. She had on her suit and Tony knew that it as more for intimidation than anything. Both Peter and Tony glanced up at her presence but neither said anything. Her voice was apologetic when she addressed them, "He's being moved now so we should think about going down in the next hour or so." Natasha could feel the guilt rising in her stomach and she started to question the prudence of what she had asked them to do, she had been thinking about it all night. Eventually, she vocalized it, "Are you sure you want to do this? I can get what we need without you."

Tony looked up at her with an incredulous expression but instead of ridiculing her tactic, he was quiet when he asked, "Can you give us a minute?"

Natasha fixed him with a penetrating gaze before she wordlessly stepped out of the room.

Tony looked over at the kid sitting next to him, "Pete…" Tony started, unsure of exactly how he was going to finish. Partially because he was unsure of what he wanted and partially because he was unsure of how to go about addressing the problem. Especially when his son's trusting eyes fixed on him. Still, he forced himself to continue, "I really don't think it's a good idea for you to come with me."

Peter instinctively shook his head as he gave his determined answer, "I'm not going to let you go in there without me. I don't trust him."

Tony was quick to respond with his own earnestness, "I don't either but that's why I think its best for just me and Natasha to be in there."

Even the thought of Tony going into the room without him was terrifying, the idea that his dad would be mostly on his own with the man who had done so much damage terrified him but still he needed a logical reason for his presence, his voice was rushed when he explained, "Ms. Romanoff can't sense danger. She can't stop everything, I have a better chance at that. I don't want to put anything passed him, he hates you, remember?"

Tony fixed him with a skeptical look, "Pete, he's a prisoner in Avengers HQ, what's he going to do?"

But Peter wasn't ready to concede. He wasn't sure how and he was terrified to do so. His voice was inching closer to panicked as he explained, "I don't know but I don't want to find out after he does it. What if this whole thing was a ruse? What if there's another plan hidden in all this? I'm not willing to wait to find out what happens if there is."

Tony's tone was incredulous, that suggestion was crazier than almost anything he himself had come up with and he let Peter know it, "Peter, that's paranoid."

Peter just nodded in agreement, he knew it was crazy but it didn't make the threat any less real in his mind, "Yah it is, but I'm not willing to take the chance." He paused for just a moment before he continued, "Would you let me go on my own?"

Tony reacted viscerally, "Of course not."

Peter couldn't help but smirk at proving his point so easily when he continued sincerely, "Then why do you think I'm willing to let you go in on your own?"

Tony was annoyed when he answered in the be all end all argument stopper, "I'm an adult."

Peter shook his head as he negated that argument with a sarcastic quip, "Right because that singular fact definitely protected you before."

But Tony was just as stubborn and reiterated the idea he had when they were in the cell, "It's not your job to protect me, Pete."

"Yah it is." He looked Tony directly in the eye, his gaze was more weathered than it had been in a long time as he calmly explained, "I've lost too many people and its not fair for you to ask me to run the risk of losing someone else just because you don't want me in the room with him. That's not fair, dad." Then he pushed on, "I need to do this, I need to prove that I can face him because I didn't do it before."

"Peter, you don't have to prove anything."

Determination rang through clearly with his answer, displacing any fear or anxiety that might have been there before, "Maybe not to you or him but I do to myself. I let bad things happen. I let them hurt you and I can't stomach letting that happen again. I need to be there. I need to do this."

Tony, for a moment, flashed back to that tiny room years ago when Peter had voiced that same concern. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was who Peter was and he knew nothing he could say would change his mind so Tony allowed himself to voice the fear he had been dealing with since Natasha told them about what was going on, "I'm afraid he's going to say something or do something that's going to hurt you."

Peter shrugged with a fierce confidence, "If he does, I'll deal with that when it happens but I will not be able to forgive myself if something else happens to you so this isn't a decision you can make for me."

Tony felt tears welling up in his eyes as he tried to wrap his mind around what could happen, still he couldn't vocalize it. He had lost. Then he called up to the ceiling, "FRI, let Natasha know we're ready."

* * *

Frank glanced up from where he was awkwardly slumped in his chair only to see Romanoff step back into the room. For a moment, he closed his eyes tight against the headache that had been slowly drilling into his skull for the better part of three days. It wasn't anything from the particular malevolence of his captors, just the realization that he had failed. Romanoff's questions the day before had not helped with that realized veracity.

He rolled his shoulders and pressed himself up higher in his chair before he opened his eyes again with a carefully engineered bored expression. Then he saw who stepped in behind her and couldn't keep the surprise off his face. Tony gingerly stepped into the room followed closely by Peter. Frank watched the two of them intently, trying to figure out exactly how they were reacting to the sudden change in their collective dynamic. His quick eyes took in the tension in Stark's shoulders, the tightness still visible even with the slowly lightening bruises on his face, and the mix of fury and arrogance in his expression. Scowling, he watched the teenager next, immediately surprised by the lack of bruising on his face. Even though it had been a little more than a week, he still should have shown signs of Brad's beating but he looked like he did before they had kidnapped them. Frank sat back cautiously when he realized Peter was in turn watching him closely and there wasn't any fear in his eyes. It took Frank a moment to realize what it was but when it hit him he couldn't believe he questioned it. Peter stood with his shoulders back while his sharp eyes held a calculated protectiveness. They flicked across the room and Frank realized Peter was watching him and everything around him to make sure he wasn't going to somehow escape his bonds and come after them. Briefly, the unconscious thought shot through his mind that this teenager might be more dangerous than he thought, but in the next moment he realized how ridiculous that sounded. Ultimately, it meant he hadn't been wrong when he said there was something really weird about this kid. Still, he didn't have time to dwell as his new visitors sat down across from him.

He had been pretty sure Romanoff had to come back, he knew they would need more from him if they were going to solve the problem that had led to Stark's capture. But he hadn't expected to see Stark or Peter again so, pressing his minor victory, Frank sneered toward the still standing Natasha, "I thought this was never going to happen." He pulled his cuffed hands up just enough to flick his finger, gesturing between Peter and Tony.

But Natasha knew having them was going to be a negative so she waited a beat before she shrugged noncommittally, "This was not my idea. Apparently, they wanted to talk to you." She leaned forward on both hands as she spat, "Behave yourself."

There was a brief awkward silence, like they were taking stock of the correct course of events until Tony broke it, "Ms. Romanoff told me you don't believe we'll actually help your daughter if you give us what we want. I'm here to confirm that we will." He trailed off as he waited for acceptance of that easy fact.

Frank heard Stark's words but he was again watching Peter. The teenager had fixed him with a stare and regardless of how hard he tried, Frank couldn't look away. There was a concealed fury in his posture, he was sitting forward in the chair, drawing attention off his dad even while he was the one speaking and for some reason, that realization just pissed Frank off. Where had that been before? He ignored Tony's statement and leaned forward toward Peter, smirking, "Did he finally write you into the will? Is that where all this…" He awkwardly gestured in Peter's general direction before he continued, "concern came from?"

As soon as Frank addressed Peter, Tony sat up just a little higher. He was having trouble leaning forward and forcing Frank to look at him because rigidly straight was the only posture that really felt okay on his ribs. But as soon as Frank asked Peter a question, Tony's hand shot out and landed on Peter's shoulder, pulling him back away from the table. Tony leaned forward as far as he could, snarling, "You're talking to me right now, not him."

Frank turned his attention to Tony, "Naw, you're talking at me but I don't want to talk to you. You're going to try to tell me that you'll help my daughter if I just tell you a little information but I hate to break it to you, if I give you that information, I'm dead and she'll be in danger. So unless you want to use your billions of dollars to guarantee you're going to protect her, I'm not telling you shit." He turned his attention back to Peter, the kid was still sitting ramrod straight and his eyes watched Frank's every move. But he also noticed that Stark kept flicking his attention toward Peter like he was some kind of wounded animal, either going to lash out or break at any moment. Frank seized on that and started to turn it over in his mind. Plus there was the obvious anger in his bearing when he pressed Peter back in his seat. This might be something. He kept his voice conversational but combative as he addressed Peter instead of Stark, "So, is he letting you work on more than just rocket engines now? Surely being with him in captivity got you something better. Maybe not much though, I guess I can't say you did much." As he said it, he flicked his eyes back over to Tony, seeing the seething anger slowly building in his expression.

Tony was livid. He wanted the attention but instead, Frank was focusing on Peter. Then that voice in the back of his mind asked what he expected, he had brought Peter into the room. Tony's voice was a low growl when he threatened, "Say one more word to him and I promise you, everything I'm prepared to offer is null in void." Tony winced as he leaned forward onto the table and tried with what became a bit of overt desperation to pull the attention off Peter. As he did, he glanced over Frank's shoulder at Natasha who had moved behind him. Tony could see the murder in her posture as she shifted, attention solely on Frank.

Tony's behavior proved Frank's assumption. It made sense but it was nice to know that he had read the situation correctly. Knowing he had very few cards left to play to get a decent deal before he turned everything over, Frank decided to see how far he could push, see how much he could get. He flicked his eyes over to Peter for a long second before leaning back in his seat, dragging his hands off the table and into his lap, "Fine, what's the offer?"

Tony was at least partially relieved as the attention returned to him, "We'll help your daughter but you need to tell us everything you know about who hired you."

Frank watched as some of the tension dropped out of Stark's shoulders at his attention and, instinctually, he knew he could push this farther. He reiterated his earlier rejection, "Yah, that's not enough. I can't give you what you want for only that now. I need more." To prove his rejection, he leaned back toward Peter, "So is this the first time you've seen him since you got out? I would imagine that you've probably been staying somewhere else. Is this really more of an inconvenience to you?" Frank watched as Peter seemed to deflate a little and then he flicked his eyes over to Stark. The man was watching the teenager with a careful expression, like he was still trying to figure something out. Then he looked up at Frank and met his eyes. For a moment, Frank felt like he had been burned, Stark was pissed. Like royally pissed. He was walking a fine line now but desperation forced him to continue.

Peter was trying really hard to ignore him. But that one stung, of course this wasn't an inconvenience, who even thinks to say something like that? Still, he rolled his shoulders back again as he tried to sit with as much confidence as he could, ensuring his head was still held high. They had survived, they had won. Peter refused to give Frank what he wanted.

Tony was watching Peter out of the corner of his eye. He knew that the kid was barely holding it together and for the thousandth time, he was wondering why he didn't lock him in his room. Then he saw Peter reset. He saw him square his shoulders. He felt the swell of pride in his chest as he watched his son glare down his tormentor but at the same time, he didn't want this to last much longer. Tony couldn't help it when he snapped at Frank, "I told you to stop talking to him."

Frank slowly turned his head back toward Stark, like it was more of a bother to take the energy necessary to move his head because he was talking to an obtuse person who would not give him what he wanted anyway. His flippant voice helped to drive that home, "Or any deal would be null and void, I get it but you haven't even come close to coming up with a deal I'm able to take. So do better while Peter and I have a conversation." He could feel the nerves starting to jump across his body, this was taking too long and the longer it went on, the farther he got from getting what he needed. He felt a bead of sweat slide down his brow but he clenched his fists hard in an effort to keep from breaking. Talking to Peter was turning into as much a distraction as it was a method, but as he leaned forward over the table before he could say anything, Tony spoke again.

Tony's voice was a contemptuous hiss, "I'll help your daughter and make sure she and your wife are able to hide for the rest of their lives if you tell us what we want to know."

That was better but he also noticed that Peter had found a new burst of confidence so he decided he still had a little more wiggle room. Taking a calculated risk, Frank narrowed his eyes up at Tony, "What about me?" But he nearly jumped when Romanoff answered from behind him instead.

Natasha had been watching the entire exchange. She was specifically paying attention to Peter, watching as he bore the brunt of the barbs in silence. There was a spike of guilt in her chest every time Frank addressed him but still, she stayed silent. Until she was given the signal, she was there for control, not to take the lead on anything. Then she heard a request that nearly made her laugh and she couldn't help but scoff from behind him, "You're never going to see them again. That you should just accept."

But Frank was not ready to accept that. He was not ready to accept that everything he had done was going to result in him never seeing his family again. The thought of that terrified him and he couldn't keep the fear out of his reaction even while he tried to sell the value of his information, "No. I'm not telling you what you want to know unless you do better. If I give you what you want, I'm going with my family into hiding or you can just continue to guess which person wants your tech and Spider-Man's identity. It's your call but I can tell you, they've insulated themselves. Short of me, you're not going to find anything."

Tony could hear the fear in Frank's voice and he was thankful that the man's attention was flicking between him and Natasha so he tried to keep it that way by challenging him, "I think you doubt Ms. Romanoff's skills."

Frank responded but he was fighting to keep his voice even, "No. She found out my name, that was supposed to be incredibly difficult. But the information you want, that's not difficult, it's impossible. No one else has had any type of face to face meeting with them about this and they don't deal in email or phone calls. I know how they think and I know exactly what was said in our two meetings so I can give you that information but it needs to be worthwhile. I was promised by them that I would be with my family. So if you want me to rat them out, I want that deal." He fixed Stark with a look of loathing that was really more of a sick grimace as he saw the cogs turning in the man's mind, he was looking for a way out of this that didn't result in his loss. Frank needed him to take the loss though, it was the only way he was getting anything close to what he actually wanted. He looked up at Tony, taking one final gamble as his jeered, "So until you come up with a better solution, I'm going to continue to talk to Peter." Fixing the teenager with a frown, he tried to regain some of his aloofness from before but he couldn't think of much else to say than what he had thought at the beginning, so he just starting speaking, "Why don't you have any bruises? Seriously, I'm curious because you look like nothing happened to you but Stark still looks like he was beaten six ways to Sunday." Frank watched as Peter's confidence slipped a little more and Stark's eyes narrowed farther, he was so close to getting his concession, he just had to push a little farther, "Bet you're glad you don't have to deal with those injuries."

Peter felt the implication in that statement like a punch to his gut, it was a low blow. One that immediately tipped him off balance. He clenched his hands together under the table in a desperate effort to keep it from showing on his face. Instead, he felt the telltale breaking of blood vessels that he knew would result in bruises, but still he had to do something.

Tony saw the change in Peter. He saw all the hard-won confidence fail as the full implications of that statement sunk in. Without warning, Tony stood, his chair scrapping sharply along the cement floor, startling everyone else in the room. He looked up at Natasha, "Do whatever you need to with him, we're done."

Frank had miscalculated. He looked up in horror at what he had apparently done but he tried to cover his reaction, "I was giving you time to think." He glanced from Tony to Peter and back, before he added defensively, "We were just talking."

Tony stepped behind Peter and snarled, "No, you were screwing with me." He laid his hand protectively on Peter's shoulder before he continued, "I understand what you were doing, pushing him when I offered you a deal you didn't like, not a bad plan but I'm not a fan of people messing with my son. Figured you would know that by now. I gave you a few chances and you didn't take them. So we're done." While he was speaking, he was watching Peter from the corner of his eye and he couldn't help but frown when the kid turned slowly too slowly for Tony's liking. That last comment had been too far and so when Peter finally looked up at him, Tony couldn't keep the distress off his face when he quietly ordered, "Let's go, Pete."

Peter was staring at his white-knuckled hands, his shoulders slumped forward slightly as he tried to get his suddenly wandering mind back. He could hear his dad talking in the background but he sounded like he was underwater. It wasn't calm, lapping water like when you laid at the bottom of a pool either, it was tumultuous, rushing water that could take your breath away if it held you under long enough. And Peter felt like he was slowly suffocating. That singular comment had been enough to force him back there, force him to remember everything they had done to his dad while he sat there and watched. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. The hand acted like an anchor, it stilled the waters in his mind but only for a moment before terror gripped him again and he didn't want to look up. Jeff had done that, had tried to comfort him that way. But then he heard his dad's voice clearly and he took a deep breath, forcing himself to gather the courage. Relief flooded his mind when he saw Tony standing above him. He was looking over his head though, at someone across from Peter. Peter knew that was Jeff and so he refused to look, he just keep looking up at Tony and waited until he turned his attention to him. When he did, Peter saw the rage and sorrow and for a moment couldn't remember which one he had caused. But then his dad spoke and Peter obeyed.

Frank's mind was spinning. He was stupid. He had known it was dangerous to push Stark's buttons like that but he didn't think it had been that overt. But he watched as Peter slowly stood and he could see the broken distress on his face. Realization slapped Frank hard, he had gone too far. Still, his goal hadn't changed and he quickly resorted to the only option he had left, he begged, "Please, I'll take it. I'll take what you offered and I'll give you everything. Please, just help my daughter."

Tony turned, fury written across his face, "No, your daughter is going to die because her father is too arrogant to know when he's been beaten."

Frank's face crumpled at that threat, this was all he had left and his frenzied voice highlighted it, "Please, you have to understand, I just wanted to protect my family."

If it was possible, Tony's wrath boiled over as his eyes narrowed perilously, "Because you offered us that same courtesy? You found out our relationship and instead of clemency, you beat him senseless to get me to talk. This is the consequence of your callousness. I'm done trying to help you, I'm going to protect my son."

As Tony pushed Peter toward the door, Frank jumped to his feet, or at least as close to his feet as he could get. The metallic cuffs clanged as they smacked into the various metal pieces of the chair and the table, leaving him hunched over as he quickly started to talk, trying desperately to keep Tony in the room, "His name is Aiden Barlow, he's an Army Brigadier General. He approached me on my last mission, gave me the option to help Bella, and then laid everything out. Payment was access to the Cradle and to be able to disappear once I succeeded."

Tony turned slowly, keeping a hand on Peter's shoulder, unconsciously pushing him behind him. He narrowed his eyes, "Why are you telling me this?"

Frank calmed slightly as Tony turned back around and he rushed to give him the answer he needed, "Look, I've been honest with him," he gestured tentatively toward Peter but kept his eyes carefully fixed on Tony, "since the beginning. I had one goal in this entire clusterfuck of an operation. I've been on failed missions before, and sometimes all that's left is the Hail Mary play, this is mine. I'll give you everything right now, just for the promise of help. Please. You can keep me in whatever hole you want to for the rest of my life but please, please help her." He tipped his chin up a little more, not showing defiance but pleading for mercy.

Tony was torn. A part of him actually wanted to help but there was an incredibly vocal part that wanted revenge and it was yelling louder. It won. Without a word, he turned his back to the man in the chair, knowing that once all this was over, he would be saddled with another piece of guilt that would tear into his already shredded soul. But at least this time, he felt like it was justified.

Peter listened to the exchange from his relatively safe place behind his dad. Most of it was underwater but then he heard the telltale anguish of supplication and for whatever reason, those pleas made it through the white noise of his mind. As he felt Tony pushing him gently forward and driven by a need he didn't completely understand, Peter dug in his heels and turned to quickly whispered into Tony's ear, "Dad, we should help her. You should tell him that we'll help her."

Tony's attention snapped from the door to his son. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Peter…" Tony trailed off as he tried to wrap his head around what Peter had just told him to do and how close it hit to what he actually wanted to happen. Unsure of how to answer, he croaked out, "I can't."

Peter's voice was quiet but resolute, thinly veiling an undertone of anxiety, "Yes, you can. We can't be him." Peter felt the tears well up in his eyes as he begged his dad to be better because he desperately needed that, he needed to know beyond any shadow of a doubt that they were better, that this was not them.

Tony leaned back in surprise as he stared down at his son, speechless. But he took in the complete honesty in those words and like so many other times, Tony was powerless to deny Peter anything he wanted. Tony was so caught off guard by the request that he couldn't even think to deny it. Turning to face Frank, Tony let the loathing tone drip off his tongue as he made his final deal, "We'll help her but not until you tell everything you know, and give all the evidence you have, to Ms. Romanoff. If we find out you've hidden anything, the deal is done." Tony saw the immediate effect.

Frank fell back into his chair, his chained hands falling to rest in his lap. He stared ahead with blank eyes until the truth of what Stark had just said hit him. As the reality of what that teenager had just done for him slammed into him. For the first time since this had started, he felt an incredible guilt well up in his chest and tears started to roll down his cheeks. He couldn't even bring himself to hide it as he dissolved in tears.

Decision made, Tony pressed Peter out the door, keeping his hand firmly planted on his son's slumped shoulders as maneuvered the now zombie like kid into the hallway. Tony pulled the door shut behind them and immediately slipped around the slight teenager to look carefully down at him. Laying his hand along to side of his son's vacant face, Tony forced him to look at him, while he spoke with urgency, "Pete…Peter, please. Come on, kid, I need you with me right now."

It took him a second to realize his dad was talking to him. He was still reeling from the distorted images in his mind, they were mixes of his nightmares and actual events and it was painful. But he had managed to find his attention before and he needed to find it again. Blinking a few times, he noticed they were in the hallway outside the room and he forced his attention onto Tony even while his voice betrayed his torment, "'m here."

Tony's heart broke again and for a moment he couldn't help but wonder how shards managed to break so many times over, but then he focused. He glanced around their surroundings and realized there were too many curious faces. Every member of the security team in the hallway were standing with their heads toward the ground but Tony knew they could hear what they were saying and then there was the possibility for the other Avengers to come by...it was too public, too much. He looked back to Peter, "Come on, Pete. We're going somewhere else."

Peter stared straight ahead without seeing and he appreciated that those grounding hands were back on his shoulders as they steered him toward the elevator. He walked slowly with hesitant steps, buoyed only by Tony's soft reassurances until the doors closed in front of his face. Peter turned suddenly and wrapped his arms around his dad's waist, burying his head in Tony's shoulder before he heard him order, "FRIDAY, my floor."

* * *

 **There you have it!**

 **They finally confronted Jeff/Frank (I had to use a different name, sorry if it's disorienting!) and now they have to deal with those consequences as well. There are other forces at work here too but some of that is going to have to fall to the others to deal with. Also,** **I was trying to guess the number of chapters I had left but I'm learning I'm incredibly terrible at that so I'm just going to get the end in as many chapters as it takes haha!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for the next one.**

 **As always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the reviews.**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey everyone!**

 **I'm sorry for the lag in the updating, I had a really busy weekend last week and I had to rewrite this chapter a few times because I just didn't like how it was turning out, so I was a little behind from where I wanted to be and where I normally am so I hope this chapter makes up for it!**

 **As always, I want to say thank you to everyone who followed and favorited, its awesome to get those notifications :) and a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed. You guys are awesome and as has become tradition, thank you:**

 **\- to the amazing Jessica Chippenstock, I'm really glad you like my writing style, that actually makes me really happy because I've been trying to work on it more-so in this fic! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **\- the awesome Ancalime 8301, I'm glad I was able to update a little too fast for you and that you still enjoyed it! And it will definitely catch up with him...**

 **\- the wonderful carajiggirl, Thank you for saying that! I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations**

 **\- the amazing perplexion08, Don't worry about it, I totally understand that frustration and I'm so glad that you got your tech working again! As for the Natasha bit, I personally always thought the MCU was moving to a slightly more emotional Romanoff with her portrayal in Age of Ultron and in this story I was kind of going from the interview Scarlett Johansson gave where she said that Natasha was f**king pissed in Endgame. I guess in my mind, she reacts more significantly to families because of Clint and her own tragic back story so if she knows that Tony sees Peter as his son, she's going to react a bit more overtly to their situation, including defending the both of them whenever she can.**

 **\- the fantabulous NameisKohl, I'm actually really glad you said that because I really don't want you to like him but I want it to make sense why Peter would still want to help him even after everything so I hope that second part is coming through as well!**

 **Well, that's enough rambling from me, and without further ado, here's the next chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

As soon as the order was given, Tony gave in. He tightly wrapped his arms around Peter, tugging him in closer and hiding his face in his son's shoulder. That had been exactly what he had expected and not even close to what he had imagined. The elevator ride took all of a minute but still the two clung to each other. Once the door opened, Tony pushed Peter into the room, directing him to the couch in the living room. He sat him down and wrapped him back up but he couldn't help but be a little surprised that Peter wasn't crying, he was just…sitting. Still, he melted into Tony's hold. After a few minutes of nothing, Tony couldn't help but pull away from him, "Pete, are you okay?"

He croaked out, "No." As if all his strength fled, he let his head fall forward onto Tony's shoulder, "'m sorry." He gave a stuttered, heaving sigh a moment before his breath hitched and tears built again behind his eyes. He was so sick of crying but as he sat curled up against his dad, he couldn't think to do anything else. His heart hurt.

Tony kissed the top of his head and tucked him back into a shelter of arms as he started to cry. Tony wasn't surprised by Peter's reaction but he still couldn't keep the tension out of his tone as he spoke softly, "Please don't apologize, Peter, this isn't your fault. None is your fault." He ducked his head into the crook of Peter's neck as he held the sobbing teenager and Tony couldn't help it when tears of his own started to soak Peter's shirt.

They stayed that way for a while until eventually, Peter calmed down enough to fall back against the couch. He knew Tony was watching him like he was fragile and he hated it. He knew he should be tougher than this. He was Spider-Man. He was a superhero. Now he was just acting like a frightened child. But no matter how many times he told himself that, since his dad had woken up, it seemed like all he had done was cry on his shoulder. Then another thought wormed its way into his mind, how long would it be before Tony got sick of his tears? As soon as the question flashed through his mind, Peter tried to drive it away. Tony had never done anything to make him think that would happen but it still whispered on the edges of his consciousness. Then he realized that even if that was the case, Tony would never tell him that and somehow that made it worse. Peter couldn't handle his dad thinking about him like that, couldn't handle Tony regretting ever getting close to him. That made his breath catch in his throat as he forced the possibility away, leaving his mind to wander again. His mind was blank for a blessed few moments until Peter contemplated Tony's attention again and he couldn't help but wonder if his dad was questioning whether or not Peter was ever going to be okay to be Spider-Man again. What would happen to them if he couldn't put his suit back on? He hiccupped violently as that thought crossed his mind, he couldn't lose another person. He wasn't sure if he would survive it. Peter pressed his fingers into his hair and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes as he tried to force himself back to normal.

Tony watched Peter carefully, unsure of how to help him. This was not his Peter and Tony hated everything that had happened to make him this unsure of himself. He needed to make this okay but a small part of him, one he hadn't heard in a while, reminded him that he wasn't Peter's father. He was a screwed up asshole who _continually_ put the kid he purported to love in harms way. Tony couldn't help it as he wandered down that line of thought, reliving all the times he had failed Peter. He saw flashes of injuries, moments of terror, and realized that for many of those instances, he had been the one to put Peter's life on the line. Then a ghost floated through his consciousness. Tony sucked in a deep, excruciating breath as he heard that voice again, _You could not live with your failure…_ Then Peter's slowly disintegrating body appeared before him, as vivid as it had be on that damned planet. Like it was happening again, and Tony could feel the cemented feeling of dust caked mud on his hands and immediately, he started to spiral, his blank eyes staring ahead as he unconsciously pulled on those threads of memory. Digging deeper and deeper…

Until movement next to him caught his spiraling attention. Tony watched as Peter heaved a shuddering sigh and slid his hands into his hair, pressing his palms into his eyes. The distressed motion was enough to snap Tony back into reality. Even if he consistently failed him, Peter still called him dad and Tony would be damned if he let him down again. Tony shook himself back into focus as he redirected his vacant stare. Almost immediately, he caught sight of the darkened patterns on Peter's hands. Subconsciously realizing what had happened to cause the finger-like purple smudges, Tony couldn't help but need the confirmation, "Peter, what happened to your hands?"

Without really comprehending the question for what it was, Peter pulled his hands down and blinked a few times before he saw the patterns. He turned his hands over, studying them and trying to find the right words to explain what had happened. When he finally spoke, his voice was surprisingly dispassionate, "I was trying to keep from saying anything, from letting Jeff know how much what he was saying hurt."

Tony's earlier line of thought flew out of his head as anger narrowed his gaze and he had to take a second to swallow it back so it didn't manifest in his tone. Still, his voice was tense when he asked, "You squeezed so hard you bruised your hands?"

Peter nodded, thankful for his finally dry eyes. That was what happened and he just needed his dad to understand. Peter didn't expect Tony's eyes to well with tears and he couldn't help but sit back a bit farther into the couch in surprise.

Tony fought to hold back the tears even as he felt his son's pain acutely slam into him. He looked Peter in the eyes and reacted instinctually, the fierceness in his tone contrasting Peter's dispassion, "I'm so incredibly proud of you." He swallowed hard as he flicked his eyes back to those bruises for just a moment and then continued, "Not many people would have been able to handle what you did and only the strongest few would have been able to ask for mercy after everything he did."

Peter's eyes widened at the fierceness in his dad's tone but he still had a hard time believing what he was saying. Literally, anyone in this compound would have been able to do the same thing. Then he realized this was just Tony trying to make him feel better, so he shrugged and dropped his eyes, unable to take the intensity in his expression.

Tony frowned at that response, knowing there was a reason beyond Peter's inescapable humbleness that kept him from accepting that. Tony winced as he leaned forward enough to look into Peter's eyes. He regretted the motion as soon as he involuntarily groaned against the pain of barely healed ribs. It seemed his mind finally wasn't able to push the pain to the background, leaving his body to cramp and spasms to steal his breath. He closed his eyes tight against the pain as his hand shot out and grabbed ahold of Peter's forearm for support.

On the plus side, the action demanded Peter's attention.

"Dad?" Peter jumped when Tony's hand closed tightly around his forearm. His gaze snapping up to meet Tony's tightly closed eyes. Peter leaned forward when he heard the hitched breathing as Tony worked through what was obviously agony and spoke in a panicked order, "you can't sit like that. You have to sit up."

Tony managed to wink open his eyes and gave a wincing smile as he whispered, "You're right…but I uh…can't…can you uh…can you help me?"

Peter jumped to comply but forced himself to move slowly as he carefully helped Tony stretch back against the pillows. By the time he was there, his dad was panting hard against the pain and Peter added with a little more authority, "I don't think we should be up here. I think you need to be back in the med wing."

Tony winced against another spasm but managed to take a kind of full breath, "No-t yet. Ta…too many people. We…need to…talk." He took a few more breaths through his nose as he pushed the pain into a more manageable level.

Peter understood what he meant, with the exception of when they fell asleep, there were constantly people near them. Not that that was a bad thing but it made it difficult to talk. But Peter also knew that was the best place for him, so he pressed, "Fine, but after we talk, we have to go back."

Tony just nodded in agreement and worked to compose himself as he managed to speak a bit more normally and get out what he could, "Pete…I'm sorry for…everything. I…I put you in that position. I made you s…ee s – something no one should have to and…I...uh...I made you promise not to say anything knowing what they would do…I just…'m sorry."

Peter sat back, his wide eyes betraying his surprise as he attempted to understand what Tony was telling him. His dad didn't have anything to apologize for, he had been beaten to protect him, something that was becoming increasingly clear that Peter didn't deserve. Peter couldn't help the anger that colored his tone when he responded, "Why are you apologizing?"

Tony flicked his eyes up at him and answered with trepidation, "Because this is my fault…" He could hear the fight coming and he wasn't sure he would have the strength to win it.

Peter immediately started to shake his head and then verbalized his vehement disagreement with Tony's assessment, "No it's not, it's mine."

Tony heard the manifested irritation that time and matched the statement with his own, "How is this your fault? They wanted information from me and I refused to give it to them."

Hot anger flashed in Peter's mind as he gave up on controlling his response and he willed his dad to see the truth as he retorted, "But it was information about me that they hurt you for. You gave them everything else which meant they hurt you specifically because of me. That makes this my fault. And because of that I don't deserve this…" He stood abruptly off the couch but he continued to challenge Tony. "I don't deserve your help and I don't deserve your concern. I don't deserve to call you dad. You protected me and all I did was sit there. I sat there and I watched and I didn't do anything." Peter was frustrated by how poorly he was explaining himself, his shoulders dropping in response as some of the anger dissipated and his voice softened, "I don't know why you said you're proud of me or why you continue to let me cry on your shoulder. I don't deserve it."

"Stop saying that." Tony snapped, his angry eyes and exacting tone broke against Peter's softer response, "Just stop. You know that's insane, Peter. You know it." His anger simmered into a knowing growl as he proceeded to lay out Peter's resume, "As a fourteen year old, you made your own suit and decided. On. Your. Own to protect the little guy. At fifteen you took on Captain America to try to keep a group of assholes, that you didn't know anything about by the way, together and at sixteen you took on an intergalactic titan because you wanted to protect your neighborhood…oh…and the rest of the world. Just for that you deserve everything you have and so much more." Tony watched Peter when he said that but he didn't get a response, so he continued, "But you didn't just stop," Tony held Peter's attention as he rounded it off, "You very easily could have by the way, no one would have blamed you. They would have missed you, but they wouldn't have blamed you."

Peter didn't respond, he just continued to stare, now wide-eyed, at Tony.

When his son still didn't respond, Tony kept pressing forward, desperate to get him to understand just how special he was, "Instead, you continued to help people. You protect people. You got shot a year ago protecting your classmates. You can't have forgotten that. I know I can't." Tony felt tears well up in his eyes again at that memory, god that day had sucked. Still he couldn't let his mind wander that far away so he continued, "You just faced down the man who tortured you. Hell, you begged me to help his daughter because you can't bear the thought of her hurting. How can you believe that you don't deserve what you have?"

Peter's voice was a whimper when he tried to discount everything Tony was saying but all he could come up with was, "People always get hurt around me, especially the people I love."

"Are you deaf? All you do is help people, Peter. Especially if it's someone you love, that's just what you do." Tony spoke the last part with as much volume as he could muster as he stared intensely at his son before he dropped his eyes away and mumbled under his breath, "I'm going to kill him."

Peter understood immediately who he was talking about and he couldn't stop himself as he hurriedly begged, "Please don't do that."

"See," Tony insisted, throwing his hand back up toward Peter in a motion that made him wince even though it didn't diminish his response, "that…that right there, that's what I'm talking about! That bastard deserves to die for what he did to you alone…you don't deserve _any_ of this." Tony took a shallow breath through his nose to calm himself down before he reached his hand back out, "Peter, come here."

Without thought, Peter perched back down on the couch.

Tony grabbed his hand and carefully turned to face him, "What happened to us sucks but it happened _to_ us. It didn't happen because of us, despite us, or as a consequence for us. It happened because there are desperate people in the universe who are willing to do horrendous things. And we have to do everything we can to keep them from succeeding." He looked up at him carefully, "I know you feel guilty because of what happened to me but I need you to know that I survived because of you. I fought for you and I would do it again a thousand times over. I didn't protect you out of some kind of sense of duty, I did it because I love you and I wanted you to be safe. It's the same reason I make you suits and track you even when you argue with me about it."

Peter's face crumpled at his words and stared down at his fidgeting fingers, his voice soft, "That's why I feel guilty, why I feel like it's my fault. I feel like I should have been able to do more to protect you." When he looked back up at Tony with sorrowful eyes, his voice was only slightly louder but infinitely heavier and begging for help, "I still see what they did when I close my eyes. I can't…I hate it, dad. I hate it so much. I just want the images to go away. I don't want to watch them hurt you anymore."

Tony heard the pain and wanted to cry but instead, he immediately gripped Peter's shoulder and tugged him in as close as he could. Once Peter leaned into him, Tony kissed his head again as he whispered with fierce sadness, "I know, Peter. I understand and I'm sorry. What can I do to help?"

His face pressed against the soft cotton of his dad's shirt, Peter mumbled, "This…"

Tony didn't even bother to pull away to look down at him, just rested his chin on the top of his head and exhaustedly asked for clarification, "What do ya mean?"

Peter mumbled a little louder, "Keep reminding me that you're alive. That I didn't fail this time."

Tony tightened his arms around his son as he swallowed back tears, "For as long as you need." He held him for a bit, trying to figure out exactly how he could kill Frank and get away with it. But then Peter looked up at him and all thought of that violence fled.

Peter tried to let himself accept what had happened. Let himself think about it as something that was done to them and not because of them and for as simple as that semantic argument was, he admitted to himself that it made him feel a bit better. He relaxed a little, listening to his dad's heartbeat and realizing that he was okay. They were okay. Tony didn't hate him. Wasn't going to disown him or take away his suit. He was proud of him. Peter let that thought sink in and start to root out the negativity in his mind. His dad was proud of him. After everything that had happened, he was proud. Eventually, Peter looked up at Tony from where he was buried in his arms and spoke with a strength that made him feel a little more like himself, "Love you, dad."

Tony heard the confidence in his tone, reveled in it, before returning the sentiment with equal conviction, "Love you, Pete. And I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

They stayed like that until Tony's injuries finally caught up with him and he could feel himself tensing more often than he wanted and his motions became more stilted as the pain grew. He knew it had been a while since he had some kind of painkiller and that meant it was wearing off but he didn't want to move. Unfortunately, Peter seemed to notice because he pulled back a little and whispered, "I think we should go back to the med wing."

Tony looked down at him, a little disappointed in Peter's assessment, "I guess." He knew his son was right but for the first time they were okay, actually okay, not just stitched and bandaged together and he wanted it to stay that way.

Peter seemed to have a similar sentiment though as his sad response spoke volumes, "I don't want to either but you need medication. As much as this is better, you can't be in pain."

Tony nodded, understanding how important that sentiment was to Peter, especially right now and as the moments ticked by it was becoming increasingly more difficult to keep the pain at bay. He groaned when Peter helped him stand and couldn't help but lean gradually more on his son's shoulder as they made the slow trek to the elevator. God this sucked.

* * *

Oblivious to the immense amount of pain he had just caused, Frank sat with his head on his chest as tears tracked down his face. Romanoff was asking questions without making any attempt to hide the contempt in her voice. For a split second, Frank let his mind wander to the violence he was certain she could visit upon him if she wasn't so clearly restraining herself. With that thought in mind, he answered her questions as succinctly as he could, all the while praying that everything he was saying was still accurate.

She was blunt and none too kind, not that he really expected her to be. She mixed her questions with searing scowls and biting comments about his stupidity that continued to reinforce how badly he had screwed up. It was her own form of restitution and it worked as effectively as a knife.

Her questions lasted for what felt like a few hours but Frank was not completely sure and when she was done, he was escorted back to his holding cell. She disappeared before he even looked back up and he assumed it was to corroborate the information he had just given her. On his trek back to his decently lit room, Frank assumed he should consign himself to living in worse conditions than his current surroundings because something told him he would be in a hole the rest of his life.

But as the door closed behind his newest guards, Frank couldn't keep the life-changing events from earlier from flashing through his mind and he kept coming back to Peter. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he had been stuck on this intern, Stark's son, since he had met him. There was something incredibly strange about him. But what he assumed had just been social awkwardness or a not-so-kind childhood wasn't right. It was an inner strength that just didn't make sense. Not for an adult and definitely not for a teenager and yet it was there. It was there when they were holding them and it was there when he begged Tony to help his daughter. That was the only way Frank could explain what he had seen, what Peter had done even after everything that had been done to him. But the piece that was even more mind-boggling to him is the fact that regardless of what else happened, Peter was trying to help him. Or more specifically help his daughter.

The longer he stewed on the kid and the world he found himself in, he could not help but be both impressed and incredibly caught off guard. This was not what he had anticipated when he had initially planned Stark's capture and for a moment, he caught himself wondering whether he would thank Peter if he got the chance.

Frank put his head down on the metal table in the lightly furnished room, appreciating the soft thunk of his head hitting solidly. For a moment, he thought about pushing that thought out of his mind because of how ridiculous it seemed and how unlikely he was to ever see the kid again, especially given Stark's reaction, but he realized that it was the right thing to do and given the level of screwed up he had already gotten, maybe a little bit of gratitude was needed.

That was assuming he ever saw anyone again.

* * *

By the time Tony and Peter made it back to the med wing, Tony was sweating and panting as he tried to control the pain, relying almost completely on Peter for support, both moral and physical. Something Peter was happy to provide. He kept up a constant stream of encouraging comments, trying to keep Tony's attention on anything but the pain, even though he knew it was only kind of working.

Just outside the room, Peter called out, "FRI, get Dr. Fry in here, please."

The ever cheerful voice answered back immediately, "Of course, Peter."

As the AI added shortly afterward that the doctor was on her way, Peter pressed the door open and led Tony to the bed. Carefully, he maneuver Tony into it before sitting down next to him and grabbing his hand. The doctor appeared a few minutes later. Quickly analyzing the situation, she immediately gave Tony some pain medication while asking Peter to explain exactly what happened. Peter filled her in and breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't seem phased by the information, just wrote a few more things down on her file. And within minutes, Tony was resting easier against the pillows so Peter was able to take a calming breath. Dr. Fry stayed for a little longer to make sure they both were comfortable before she excused herself, giving them both some space and time.

Peter and Tony sat in companionable silence until the others brought company and food. Only Natasha's presence was missing. But the others provided enough distraction that when she slipped in a few hours later, she was able to join in with little more than a few questionable looks that she quickly brushed away. It took her a minute to catch up on the positivity in the room but as she slipped into the conversation, eventually even her spirits lifted.

* * *

Each day that went by, Peter got better a little better.

He stayed with Tony for as long as he was in the med bay, alternatively sleeping in the second bed, the chair next to Tony, and next to his dad when a nightmare drove the both of them together. But as the days trekked onward, he felt stronger, more like himself and continuing to talk to Tony about it had been a big reason for his improvement. But at the same time, Peter could tell his dad was holding something back. There was a significant amount of unresolved pain and guilt behind his eyes and as much as Peter wanted to ask him about it, he was afraid of pushing Tony away.

And Tony didn't help as he ignored his own problems, instead choosing to focus on just about anything else, but mostly Peter and Pepper. A dangerous precedence to set but one that he needed in order to get through the proscribed couple of weeks of bed rest and restricted movement that threatened to drive him mad. He hadn't even asked Natasha what she had learned, willing to leave the situation to the others until he was able to deal with everything that happened to himself and Peter. And that was taking time.

Still, the time gave them a chance to talk more about what happened, all of which helped to resolve Peter's lingering doubts. But it also up new ones for Tony. He had no idea of the level of guilt that Peter had felt and he couldn't help the pang of pain in his chest every time he heard Peter's distress, as he slowly realized the hand he had in his son's pain. It meant the continually opened mental wound festered and as Tony started to be taken off the painkillers and sleep meds, flashes of nightmares and dark images began to work their way in. Still, he couldn't talk about it, instead focusing on the others, even while the building sense of danger warned him of something coming. Even when the small voice in the back of his mind reminded him that if he went down this road again, it was going to end in disaster. Still, Peter wasn't totally okay and Pepper was getting closer to having the baby, so everything else kept taking priority. And he continued to press the memories and the nightmares to the back of his mind, he kept going. Kept moving forward.

As the weeks went by and he didn't reach his breaking point, Tony thought he was handling his problems on his own this time. In the back of his mind, he knew he was still in a place where he could break but the nightmares hadn't gotten much worse than startling him awake and he found he was still able to focus on the waking world. So he kept going.

Then about four weeks after they finally got them back, Pepper had one of her final doctor's appointments and Tony was finally able to go with her. He would be able to see his son for the first time in more than just a picture and he was excited, so incredibly excited.

But as the images of Morgan were displayed on the monitor and his baby's heartbeat played across the speakers in the room, Tony couldn't help the flashes of distressing things that broke his attention. The longer he listened to that precious heartbeat, the harder he had to fight to keep the darker images that had been slamming at the edges of his mind in the periphery. The longer he listened and watched the images and Pepper's elated face, he found himself gripping harder and harder against the metal bars on the bed. Then the deep, gravely voice in the back of his mind started reminding him what happened when he tried to protect his loved ones, when he tried to keep everyone safe. It was followed by images of Peter's bruised face and his agonizing death on Titan and Tony found himself trying desperately to breathe through his nose and keep it together. He gripped the metal with everything he could and tried to push away the images but then they came faster, flashing through horrific blends of his memories and his nightmares. He couldn't protect this child. He couldn't even protect Peter…

And then just like that, it ended.

A soft touch and a quiet name were all it took for Pepper's voice to break through his strangled thoughts. As he snapped back to the present, she was looking at him with concern in her bright eyes and calling his name, her hand on the side of his face. He quickly brought his hand up to hers, turning so he could kiss her palm and he mumbled, "'m sorry. I don't…I don't know what happened."

"I do." She said quietly as she used her thumb to wipe away the stray tear on his cheek. At some point the doctor must have left because it was only him and Pepper in the room and her voice held a quiet strength as she spoke, "Tony, you've been holding this in for too long. You need to talk to someone."

Tony knew she was right but still the idea terrified him and he tried to deflect the statement, even as the insecurity in his voice gave away his fear, "I've been talking to Pete."

But Pepper had dealt with him long enough to know what he was doing and her voice was firm but kind as she explained, "You need to talk to someone you're not trying to help deal with the same situation. You need to talk to someone you don't feel responsible for. You need to talk to someone other than your son."

He looked into her knowing eyes for a moment before he dropped his own, "I know…I will, I promise."

Pepper smiled at that, confident that he would do what he said. Her voice was brighter when she responded, "Good. Do you want me to get the doctor back in here or do you want to go home?"

He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes and squeaked out, "Doctor."

He managed to keep the images at bay this time, focusing on Pepper and his beautiful son. And while they were in the car on the way home, he managed to kept that focus, enjoying the drive and talking to Pepper and Happy. Even if Pepper kept shooting him worried glances when she thought he wasn't looking. By the time they made it back to the compound, Peter, May, and the others were waiting for them and the distraction continued.

They played games and ordered dinner, a domestic scene that lifted everyone's spirits and allowed Peter and Tony to forget for just a bit what had happened, even if they still were stuck next to each other for most of the night. Eventually though, they both started to nod off onto each other shoulders, whatever movie Bucky had chosen was not enough to keep their attention and everyone started to disperse, heading off to their own rooms for the night.

Peter helped Tony to his and Pepper's bedroom before moving to his own room just down the hallway. For once, both managed to fall asleep on their own.

* * *

Tony managed to sleep for a few hours before the images started again. Only this time, instead of waking him up in a cold sweat, they held him enthralled. Held him hostage as increasingly horrifying images assaulted his mind. Instinctually, he knew what was happening but at the same time, he could not batter them away. He instead sank farther into his nightmares, slipping closer to the abyss that had been threatening since he had woken up.

He was screaming into the darkness but he would not have been able to pinpoint when those internal screams were vocalized.

"No…no…please no…Stop!" Tony tossed and turned in the sheets as he screamed. He shot up in bed, eyes darting around the room before he realized he didn't know where he was and more importantly, he couldn't find Peter. Immediately, he slipped out of bed only to slump to the floor as soon as his still battered body rejected his quick movements. He curled in on himself as he slammed his hands along the side of his head, trying frantically to block out the pleas and the screams. It didn't work.

Pepper knew the signs of nightmares. They happened often enough that it was not out of the realm of possibility but this was different. She had been sleeping more soundly since Tony had gotten back and it took her a little longer to wake up. Still, she tried to get him to wake up, her voice was soft as she sleepily asked, "Tony?" But when he violently sat up, she rolled back, hand falling to her stomach as she realized she wasn't sure what he was going to do. She said his name with a little more force but he didn't seem to hear her, his eyes were darting around the room as his face crumpled into something uncontrollable. Then he quickly rolled off the bed only to promptly collapse. Worried that he had hurt himself, Pepper scrambled to the edge of the bed, her voice worried, "Tony! Tony!" She laid her hands on his shoulders and shook him but still, he didn't answer her, he just crushed his hands to his ears and dug his fingers into his scalp. The whole time he was mumbling and begging. Pepper had an obvious idea of what he was imaging but she wasn't sure how to help him, she thought of slapping him but froze when he howled for Peter. It was a blood-curdling wail and its immediacy caused Pepper to jump back in a panic before she hurriedly did what she was hoping not to do. Without taking her hand off Tony's shoulders, she asked in a panic, "Is Peter awake?"

The obliging voice of FRIDAY answered immediately, "He's currently asleep Ms. Potts, would you like me to wake him?"

Pepper cursed what she was about to do a half a second before she did it, whispering, "Please." As she looked down at the panicked man under her hands, she realized she could forgive herself later.

Not even a minute later, Peter was in their room, crouched in front of Tony.

He put his hands on Tony's where they were curled over his ears and he carefully peeled them away. Peter was surprised when Tony fought him but it just meant he needed to use a little more force than he thought he would need to. Once he had pulled Tony's hands away, Peter didn't let go, instead, he sat down in front of him before quietly whispering, "Dad?" When Tony didn't immediately look up, Peter gripped his hands a little tighter and scooted a little closer before tried again, his voice as calm as he could make it, "Dad, please. It's me. It's Pete."

It wasn't as instantaneous as Peter would have liked, but eventually Tony's unseeing eyes took in the world around him, at least to some extent and then they locked on him. With a strength Peter couldn't imagine, Tony tore his hands out of Peter's, threw his arms around him and tugged him desperately to his chest. Somewhere in the twilight zone of nightmares, Tony seemed to have woken up enough to realize it was Peter in front of him. Tony buried his head in Peter's shoulder as he tried to speak through his heaving breaths. It was stuttered but Peter could make out piece that Tony kept repeating, "…alive… a-alive…ya-you're alive…"

Peter did the only thing he could do, he held Tony tightly and whispered reassurances, "'m alive...'m here."

Then Tony violently pushed away from him, holding Peter at arm's length as he looked him up and down with a critical eye. After a moment, Tony met his eyes and spoke again, his voice was pitiful when he finally croaked out, "Not a dream?"

Peter felt bile rise in the back of his throat as he shook his head, "Not a dream, dad." He put his hands on Tony's shoulders and quietly reiterated, "I'm right here."

Tears rose in Tony's eyes as he gave a heaving sob and switched his grip, pulling Peter in close again. He lost any control he had as sobs wracked his body and his words turned into heaving apologies and divine praises.

Peter instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around his dad as he cried. He took a moment to glance up at Pepper, before he quietly asked, "What do I do?"

Pepper had tears in her eyes as she watched the exchange. She had known it was only going to be a matter of time before Tony broke completely and she was immensely thankful Peter was still here to help because she knew that it would have taken a lot more for anyone else to get through to Tony. Then she realized Peter had asked her a question and she rushed to answer, even while she kept her voice hushed, "Keep doing that. That's what he needs right now."

Peter nodded and started to run his hand up and down Tony's spine before he ducked his head into his shoulder, resolving to do whatever his dad needed him to do.

* * *

 **Tony had to break eventually and I realized that having him do that during a routine check-up would actually make some sense, to me at least. But at least everything is out in the open now!**

 **Please feel free to let me know what you think in the reviews.**

 **And because I have the countdown on my computer...14 days until Endgame!**

 **I hope you have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **\- Lily**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey everyone!**

 **This chapter is a bit longer because I was trying to find a good stopping point and it just wasn't happening so there is quite a bit more to this one, I hope it still works for you!**

 **I want to say thank you so much to everyone who favorited and followed the story and I specifically want to say thank you to my wonderful reviewers. So, as has become tradition, thank you so much to:**

 **\- the awesome Verinorina, I know! If I didn't have to work the weekend leading up to my ticket time (thankfully its reserved seats) I would totally be doing the same thing! I can't wait!**

 **\- the fantastic LA ZOU, I've never had a review in another language! Merci beaucoup! That was so cool to see and I did have to google translate it but I'm really glad you appreciate the villain and the parallels between him and Tony, I was definitely going for that :)**

 **\- the wonderful NameIsKohl, I was totally crying when I wrote that and actually one part in this next chapter too. Also, I was already writing some of that so I hope this lives up to your expectations!**

 **\- the fantabulous carajiggirl, thank you so much for saying that! I've been kind of working on that for this story so I'm really glad its coming through. And I'm working on that ;) Thank you so much for your kind words :)**

 **\- the amazing HHaines, I'm glad that Tony felt like he was in character to you! I was going for that and I'm super pumped that it's coming through that way. Thank you so much for saying that!**

 **\- the lovely Guest, Thank you so much for commenting and saying that, I'm glad you're enjoying the interactions! And that's coming, I promise :)**

 **\- the marvelous skydancer121, Thank you so much for saying that :) It's so kind and I really appreciate it, I'm also really glad that you're enjoying the story so far!**

 **Thank you again to everyone and without further ado,**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Eventually, Tony calmed down enough to pull partially away from Peter. He couldn't help but keep his eyes downcast as he mumbled, "'m sorry." He hadn't completely processed what happened but he knew he needed to apologize for pulling Peter into it.

Peter just gave him a half smile and whispered, "It's okay, I'm glad I could help."

Tony looked up at him then and felt the tears building again as he realized the purity of what Peter had just said. He couldn't help but hug him close again, thankful that this time he didn't start crying. He felt drained, more tired than he had in a long time and without meaning to after about ten minutes, he passed out against Peter's shoulder.

Peter knew the minute his dad had fallen back to sleep, he felt the tension slip out of his back and shoulders and couldn't help but smile as he buried his head in the crook of Tony's neck, it felt good to help. He looked up at Pepper who was still sitting up on the side of the bed, her expression a mix of concern and gratitude, and whispered, "He's asleep."

Pepper closed her eyes and sighed in relief, relaxing a bit herself. Then she realized how uncomfortable Peter's position on the floor was going to get and she asked, "Can you move him back onto the bed?"

Without comment, Peter stood easily and laid Tony down before laying down next to him, at some point Tony had gotten a handful of his shirt and had a death grip on it. He was afraid to wake him, so he decided this was the next best thing. Plus if he was being selfish, he really wasn't ready to go any farther away. Pepper didn't seem to mind as she wrapped her arms around the both of them the best she could and whispered over to Peter, "Thank you."

Peter just nodded with a shy smile and quickly whispered, "Of course, Ms. Potts." Then he laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, he felt better about being able to help but as soon as his head touched the pillow, he realized how tired he really was. He had only a few moments to contemplate that before he fell asleep too.

Tony had told her a little about the issues Peter was having and she could feel his grip tighten a bit more around Tony's waist as he closed his eyes tight in sleep. For as much trouble as these two got in, Pepper was infinitely thankful that they had each other. They relied on each other to do what needed to be done and that bond, while terrifying in its tenacity, ensured that both continued to come home. Pepper offered a thousand thanks for that connection. She rubbed her hand the best she could up and down Peter's arm before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to force herself to calm down. She felt Morgan kicking a little more in response to her stress and she scooted a bit away from Tony just to make sure the baby didn't wake him up.

It took her time to fall asleep again but once she heard the soft snoring of the two next to her, it made it easier.

* * *

The next morning, Pepper woke before the other two. Tony was still clutching Peter, his head now resting on the younger man's shoulder in a heart-wrenching reversal of the last few weeks, and Pepper felt tears spring to her eyes. After everything they had been through, she couldn't imagine why this was still happening. They had enough hurt in their lives and finally everything was good, why couldn't it ever just stay that way? As if in response to her sad thoughts, Morgan kicked her hard a few times. It was almost as if he wanted to help, unfortunately, all it did was remind her she had to use the bathroom. Pepper tried to carefully slide off the bed, hoping beyond hope to do so without waking the other two. Unfortunately, it didn't work and before she could even get off the bed, she looked up into Peter's soft brown eyes.

"Ms. Potts, is everything okay?"

She could hear the fear in his voice and she offered a sad smile, hoping for a time soon when the normally optimistic teenager didn't assume the worst of every situation. Her voice was soft when she reassured him, "Everything's fine, Peter, I'll be back in a bit."

He narrowed his eyes slightly at her for a moment before he seemed to believe what she was saying and he let his head drop back down onto the pillow. Pepper awkwardly reached over and laid her arm on Peter's before adding, "Thank you for everything you did last night."

"It's nothing, Ms. Potts," then he quietly added, "he did it for me."

Pepper tried to keep in mind what Tony had told her he had been dealing with and she took a moment before she responded, "And he will always do that for you, but it going to mean a lot that you returned the gesture." She rubbed his arm a few times before she continued her quest to shuffle off the bed, as soon as she had her feet under her, she looked back over at Peter and explained, "I'll be back in a bit."

Peter just nodded, accepting what she said and watching her as she quickly stepped out of the room. As soon as she was gone, he rolled his head into Tony's hair and couldn't help but think about what happened the night before, it had been what he had feared. All that unresolved pain and guilt that Peter had seen while they were talking about _his_ problems finally caught up to his dad. Peter shivered as he thought about what Tony had asked him, about it all being a dream. Without meaning to, Peter wrapped his arms a little tighter around Tony and he tried to force himself to blank out his mind, they would deal with it when his dad woke up, right now he would just end up running in circles. And that wouldn't be helpful for either of them. Thankfully, his exhaustion worked in his favor and he managed to fall back into a doze.

* * *

When Pepper stepped back into the room after talking to May and using the bathroom, she tried to creep over to the bed but her first step had Peter looking up at her. She couldn't help but scoff at her inability to sneak and as soon as she stepped close enough, she whispered, "I'm sorry Peter, I didn't mean to wake you up."

Peter explained in a hushed whisper, "There was no way you couldn't have Ms. Potts, I heard you outside the door."

Pepper sometimes forgot just how powerful Peter's senses were, of course she knew but it was instances like this that drove it home. Pepper frowned at the fatigue and sadness still radiating from him. She slipped onto her side of the bed and leaned back against the headboard so she was close enough to Peter to start running her hand through his hair. It was something she had seen Tony do on a number of occasions and May had told her that it was the easiest way to get him to relax. Pepper couldn't help but smile when he let out a contented sigh and closed his eyes again as she carefully pulled the stubborn tangles out of his curls. Pepper couldn't help it when she started talking, keeping her voice as soft as she could, she whispered, "He's lucky to have you." She didn't even bother waiting for a response because she knew she wasn't going to get an accepting one from him so she continued, "You're a good influence on him, Peter. He's a hard person to get close to but you were able to do it faster than anyone because you're remarkable. And I'm infinitely thankful that you are you." She pressed a kiss to his forehead before she continued combing out his hair and she couldn't help the way her voice caught in her throat when she whispered almost to herself, "Thank you for saving him." She knew he heard when he sniffled back a few tears even while he kept his eyes tightly closed.

Peter relaxed farther into the pillows as Pepper started to card her fingers through his hair and he couldn't help but think that she was going to be a good mom. He let himself float, the comforting motion soothing his heightened anxiety. Then her voice broke the stillness of the room and Peter listened carefully, compelled to give her his full attention. But when he heard what she was saying, a part of him wanted to believe that she was just saying the incredibly kind things to make him feel better but the part that Tony had been telling him to listen to, that part was telling him to listen to the conviction in her voice. She meant was she was saying and when she thanked him again, he couldn't help the few tears that escaped. He opened his glassy eyes and looked up at her, his voice wavering when he asked, "You actually believe all that?"

She paused her motions and looked him in the eye, pouring every ounce of truth she could into the answer, "I do. I completely believe that, Peter." She gave him a soft smile before she slipped her hand back into his hair.

Peter felt warmth blossom in his chest. To hear that from Pepper meant a lot and he couldn't avoid the confidence that gave him. He whispered back, "Thank you." Before he closed his eyes again and rested his head back onto the pillow.

* * *

It was another couple of hours before Tony finally woke up. He rolled his head slightly, a little confused at the pressure on top of his head, until he opened his eyes enough to realize he was laying on Peter's shoulder. He tipped his head up and saw the side of Peter's head, quickly piecing together what was going on. Almost immediately, he felt guilty when Peter's eye winked open at his movement. Tony wanted to apologize but couldn't get it out before Peter responded first.

"Dad? Are you awake?"

Tony was too tired to hide the guilt in his tone, "Sorry, Pete. I didn't mean to wake you."

Peter wasn't willing to accept the unnecessary apology and he quickly responded, "'s okay. I was awake anyway."

Then Tony felt a shift in the bed and he turned just a little more to the side. He couldn't help but smile softly when he saw her, "Hey, Pep, I'm sorry for waking you up."

Pepper wasn't completely sure if he meant last night or this morning but either way it didn't really matter. She laid her hand on his back and smiled back at him, "It's fine, Tony."

The conversation fell there as each of the three tried to figure out how to broach the topic of the nightmares that desperately needed to be discussed. All three knew it couldn't just be avoided but no one was really sure how to start. Pepper felt like it wasn't really her place. Tony was embarrassed by what had happened. And Peter just wanted everything to be okay again. The silence continued to stretch and blanket the room in a heavy, oppressive presence.

Reading the discomfort of the current silence for what it was, Peter finally, hesitantly, asked, "Do you remember what happened last night?" He was about forty percent sure Tony wouldn't lie or try to cover it up.

Tony rolled his head farther into his son's shoulder and nodded haltingly. He could already feel the painful beginnings of panic and guilt building in his chest for putting Pepper and Peter through what he had last night.

Pepper laid her hand carefully on Tony's back, drawing his attention away from Peter just long enough for her to whisper, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Tony shook his head and croaked out, "No,"

But that opened the door, allowing Peter to force the issue, "Dad, you need to. How many times have you told me I need to talk through things like this?"

Tony stiffened, the thought of actually telling Peter and Pepper what the dream had been about was a terrifying prospect. Guilt roiled in his stomach at the thought of letting Pepper know exactly what had happened to them. But he also realized that he would dredge something back up for Peter as well if he told him. There was no good answer in all this and so Tony just let himself slip into unresolved silence.

Pepper could see the fear in Tony's face, there was something in his nightmares that he didn't want them to know. Or maybe just didn't want her to know. Taking a guess, she asked, "Tony, do you want me to leave?"

Tony could tell she didn't want to go but he also wasn't ready to lay out all the terrible things that had happened in front of her just yet. If he was being selfish, he appreciated the fact that someone close to him didn't see his weakness every time they looked at him. Peter had intimate knowledge of all his failures and Tony wasn't sure if he was ready for his wife, the woman carrying his child, the woman who knew more about him than almost anyone else, to see those same failures. He felt more guilt build in his chest at the look on her face but he couldn't bring himself to ask her to stay so he whispered, "Yah, just for now."

Pepper frowned but complied with his request. If he was unwilling to tell her something, it was because he couldn't handle her knowing yet. She knew he would tell her eventually. Hesitantly, she worked to get back off the bed. She stopped at the door and sorrowfully explained, "I'll be in the living room. I'll stop back in a little later." With one last sad gaze, she pulled the door closed behind her.

Tony shivered at the hole her absence left. Then he realized he still owed Peter an explanation and he swallowed hard. When he finally managed to speak, his voice cracked terribly as he looked back up at his son, "Do you remember when he…when he took you away from me?"

Peter didn't dare speak but he definitely remembered so he nodded carefully, giving Tony the space and the time the man had always given him.

Tony turned his head into the pillow for just a moment and collected himself before he looked back up at Peter, "He…Frank…Jeff…whatever the hell his name is…he told me that whatever he did to me, he was going to do worse to you and that…when they…when they finally ki – killed you, that you were going to die slowly, alone, and in pain. He told me to remember what it felt like…" Tony trailed off, feeling Peter's arms tighten a bit more around him as he answered back by doing the same with the arm he had wrapped around Peter's waist. He squeaked out a little more, "I don't…I can't not imagine that…but I don't want to…" He dropped his chin as he tried to figure out what to say next. As if he understood exactly what he needed, Peter tugged him closer allowing Tony to rest his head against his chest. It gave Tony the chance to close his eyes and let the soft rise and fall remind him that his son was still breathing. It calmed him enough to let him collect his thoughts.

Peter realized the implications of the memory, knew immediately what the nightmare had been about and he quietly asked, "You saw them kill me?"

Tony shook his head and whined, "No…" Then he managed to choke out, "I saw what they did to you…I didn't see…I wasn't there…I could only h – hold you after…" Tony had to pause again before he forced the rest out, tears now rolling unchecked down his cheeks, "He kept his promise…you died alone. They let me see you and then dragged me away after a few minutes. I tried to stop them, I tried to stay with you but I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough." He looked up at Peter with red-rimmed eyes, "I thought I was dreaming last night when you woke me up. I thought…I thought you were dead." He dropped his head back into Peter's chest and gave a shuddering sigh before murmuring, "I told you I know what it feels like…to have nightmares." He swallowed hard again before he continued with more strength in his voice, "I can't lose you again Peter…and to see it played out like that…'m sorry I reacted the way I did."

Peter answered back with a long missing ferocity, "Don't apologize, dad. I'm just glad you're okay." He tucked his arms around him and laid his cheek on his hair, giving him a chance to hide.

Tony let him, reveled the fact his son could even do that after the bloody pulp he had seen in his nightmares. Tony gave another shuddering sigh as he dissolved into cognizant tears for the first time since this had happened. He cried because of what happened and how much pain he was still in. But he also cried for Peter and everything he had seen, was still seeing. He realized how completely unfair it was to put this on Peter but at the same time, he desperately needed his son. He couldn't imagine being anywhere else and for a moment he acknowledged how absolutely dangerous that was. Tony know he couldn't rely on Peter for everything because more than this uncomfortable sitting position, Tony knew that Peter would do anything he asked. If Tony asked him to stay in New York for college and never leave the city, he had no doubts that Peter would complain in his own way and then do exactly what Tony asked. But Tony could not be his father. He could not be that controlling. However, Tony also knew that if Peter had not been there, he would not have been able to get himself out of that nightmare. Still, those thoughts didn't last long as the consequences of the last month and a half fully slammed into him. He slowly lost his ability to think about what was best for anyone, even his son, and gave into the constant physical and emotional pain he had been pressing to the back of his mind.

Peter listened as Tony dissolved into tears. He had been kind of expecting it after what had happened earlier but it also worried him. Peter shushed him, held him as he cried, and tried not to wince when Tony's fingers dug just a bit too hard into his side. When Tony finally quieted enough to hiccup out the last of his tears. Peter just tugged him a little closer, feeling Tony burrow farther into his shoulder.

As the tears subsided, Tony took a relatively deep breath and tried to let that be the end of it. But then he reminded himself that this was Peter, the kid he had been continually telling to share and get everything out in the open so he could heal, it wasn't fair for Tony to avoid setting the example. Driven by the need to be better for his son, Tony whispered into Peter's shoulder, "I'm terrified." He heard the way the short sentence was muffled by the soft fabric of Peter's pajamas and wondered if anyone else would have even heard him.

Peter of course had and he was not about to do anything to dissuade Tony from talking so he quickly asked, "Of what?"

Tony wanted to tell Peter that he was terrified of telling him any of this. Terrified of putting even more of a burden on the teenager. But he forced himself to explain, "Of not being able to protect my family. Of failing to protect you, Pepper, Morgan. I can't imagine what I would do if I lost any of you." Tony turned his head out from where he had hidden before continuing, "Hell, I've already proven I can't protect you, how am I supposed to protect Morgan and Pepper? If anything happens to them it'll be my fault."

Peter was swift to correct him, explaining with a conviction equal to Tony's excoriation of himself, "You did protect me, dad. Everything you did, you did to make sure that I was safe. They beat you and you still protected me." When Tony didn't immediately respond, Peter continued, appreciating the fact that he was finally getting to help the man who had done so much for him. His voice held a promise along with the conviction, "And you don't always have to protect everyone, I can help with that. Morgan's gonna be my little brother and that means I have a responsibility to him too. You don't have to do everything yourself, you're allowed to let me help. I can make sure that Pepper and Morgan and you are safe." He looked down at Tony and squeezed his arms a little tighter around him, "You're my family too. And I've lost enough people I love, I'm not losing anyone else."

But Tony was adamant in his response, "Peter I can't ask you to take on that responsibility. It's already gotten you in too much trouble."

Peter was unyielding in his reply, "Well then I guess it's a good thing you didn't ask me to. I've chosen my family, I've chosen the responsibility. And you're the one that always tells me that it's okay to have help. Let me help."

Tony was not sold on his argument, and the thought of Peter putting himself in harm's way was horrifying. Tony felt the fear leak through in his tone, "I can't Pete, if you get hurt because of something I should have seen or because of another one of my failures..."

Peter gently cut him off, "You've never failed me, dad, please stop saying that." He swallowed hard before he continued, "You've saved me so many times, how could you think that you've failed me?"

Tony latched onto Peter's words and he wanted to believe them but at the same time, all he could think about was the pain he had caused, "Because I have. The first thing I ever asked you to do, you got knocked out by a giant flailing ant man. You almost drowned and were trapped under a building when I didn't listen with Vulture." Tony looked up at Peter with tears in his eyes when he squeaked out, "Thanos killed you."

"None of those are your fault," Peter shot back, his tone fierce because of his conviction, "And you saved me from all of those, even Thanos. You brought me back from the dead, dad. Never once have you failed me. Not once." Peter softened his tone and continued, "You can't see everything and at some point you have to realize that I'm an adult. And a superhero. I'm going to get hurt and it's going to suck but I'm not ever going to have to worry about it because I know you have my back. We have to trust each other and protect each other, it's not fair for you to assume you're the one who always has to protect me and everyone else." Peter needed another piece to drive home his argument, "We're a team. You and me, we're a team. And a team doesn't work if there's only one person doing the work."

Tony watched Peter with surprise and forced himself to listen to everything he said, then he mentioned them being a team. Turning that argument over in his mind, Tony couldn't find a retort to that. Instead, it forced him to think about what Peter had just said. They were a team, they had fought together for long enough that Tony could accept that truth and he also could accept that Peter was right about what allowed a good team to function. And he did trust Peter, with his life. More importantly, he trusted him with the lives of everyone he cared about. Without allowing it, Tony felt the lightening of the guilty weight that as sitting on his chest. And it as replaced by pride. He was proud of Peter, always had been and now he was seeing the full confidence and conviction of the young hero. Tony couldn't help but give a weak smile as he said, "At this rate, you're going to be an adult before me." Tony bumped his forehead into Peter's chest, unwilling to move his arms from around his waist.

"Naw," Peter said as he relaxed again, knowing what he had said had worked somewhat, before he continued, "I think you'll always have me on age."

Tony couldn't think of anything more to say, he knew there was a line there that would alleviate the weight of the conversation, some one-liner that would devalue everything they had just discussed but he couldn't bring himself to think of it. Instead, he just said exactly what he was thinking, "Love you, Pete."

Peter smiled at the response, knowing that conversation could have become much more lighthearted, but he appreciated the honesty as he answered, "Love you too, dad."

Both relaxed into companionable silence, left to their own thoughts.

Tony knew it would continue to take time and more than a few nightmares and therapy sessions to be at his best again but he also felt better knowing that Peter was with him. He turned over Peter's words in his head again and while he swore he was still going to do everything he could to protect him, Tony knew beyond a doubt that he respected him enough to value the younger hero's promise and skill. He was incredibly proud of his son.

* * *

Natasha, Clint, and Rhodey stepped into the communal living room, catching the attention of the Avengers gathered there, well everyone but Bucky and Sam who were currently slamming on their controllers in a desperate attempt to beat the shit out of each other in Mortal Kombat. But as the rest of the room around them quieted, Sam moved to shut down the game and turned his attention to the new entrances as well. Natasha surveyed the gathered group. Everyone was pretty much grounded until they got this all squared away, not by any orders, more by a group consensus to stay near the Compound until they knew that any more threats to Tony and Peter were eliminated. That being said, they were getting a little rambunctious. Four weeks in the Compound, even one as generous as this, could do that.

Steve was the first one to ask, "Did you find something?"

Natasha nodded and glanced over at the other two before explaining, "His story checks out. I was able to corroborate most of what he was telling me through the financial records once I knew what I was looking for. And Clint and Rhodes found his and Barlow's records. We also have quite a bit about the other three men we captured. Frank was right, this was a conspiracy at the top but I don't know if we're going to be able to tie it directly to Barlow. There's a lot of circumstantial evidence so short of having Frank's confession, we can't prove this to anyone."

Rhodey jumped in at that point, "Tony's not going to want them to hear from Frank, that I can tell you."

Steve had an idea of the reason but he wanted to hear it laid out, "Why's that?"

Rhodey answered with confidence, "He knows Peter was there and he knows that he's Tony's son. Tony's gone to a lot of trouble to make sure that Peter's only connection to him is that internship and if Barlow's corrupt, we don't know who else in the command structure is too. We can't risk that. The more people know about and focus on Peter, the closer they are to finding out about him being Spider-Man. We need a way to force Barlow out or to keep tabs on him."

"We could do a taped confession…" Clint offered.

Bucky joined the conversation there, "What do we do when they ask about the person who gave it?"

The group paused, they needed a solution but it was not directly obvious. Then Sam spoke up, "What if we kill him?" All eyes snapped to him before he realized what he had said and quickly moved to explain, "No, no, no, not like that. We don't actually kill him but we tell them we did because he tried to escape or something and we put the real guy into hiding."

Rhodey's voice was incredulous and angry when he asked, "You want us to set up protection for the man who kidnapped and beat Peter and Tony?"

Sam threw his hands up defensively as he tried to justify his suggestion to the conversation, "Hey, it was just an idea and one that solves the problem too."

Steve stepped in, his voice the calmest of the group, "Maybe. There are still three other people who saw the same thing so it would have to be four people and the only thing that will keep them from talking, I would imagine, would be to send their families, if they have them, along. That's expensive and we would have to ask Tony to pay for it. We can't do that. Not after everything they've been through."

Bruce spoke up, "But if it's the only way to keep them from talking...it might not be a bad solution." He realized the enormity of what they were going to have to do but if the other piece of that was people could potentially find out the full story of what happened, he knew exactly what Tony was going to do.

Natasha built off that, "We know we can keep Frank from talking, that's been pretty much guaranteed, and given what I've seen, the others can be bought off." She was confident in her assumption about Frank and two of the other men they had captured. The only one that was still a mystery to her was the one Frank called Danny. He didn't seem like his motivation was monetary, there was a level of loyalty that suggested a personal connection but she hadn't had time to work him hard enough to find out exactly.

Bucky leaned forward, a curious edge to his voice as he asked, "Whose Barlow's superior? Could we go to him?"

Clint answered that one immediately, "Fletcher. And maybe..."

Bruce's head snapped up from where he had rested it on his fist, his voice betraying his concern and distrust when he asked almost over Clint's second response, "Ross's guy?"

The three who had been digging through paperwork hadn't seen any mention of Ross and Rhodey was compelled to ask, "What'd you mean?"

Bruce dropped his crossed arms and stepped forward a bit before explaining, "Fletcher worked with Ross for a bit on recreating the Hulk process but I think they knew each other before that. I think he's some kind of General now."

Sam supplied the answer, he still paid attention to the command structure even after he had been discharged, "He's a Major General."

"Shit." Rhodey swore, before he elaborated, "Tony's definitely not going to like that."

The conversation fell for a bit there as each of the group tried to figure out what they were going to do but without knowing the opinion of the person who had, for the most part, kept himself out of the loop, it was difficult. Eventually, Clint supplied the obvious answer, "We need to talk to Tony about it. And until that happens, we need to figure out what to do with the promise he made to Frank. Do we actually go through with it?" Clint was still torn on the decision. He understood why they were thinking about it but at the same time he couldn't help but question the logic. If they allowed this man to get what he wanted for kidnapping Tony and Peter, were they opening themselves up to even more liability?

Steve spoke up there, "Didn't Peter ask to help her?"

Natasha's voice was quieter than normal when she answered, "Yah, he did."

"Then we do it. I'll call Mrs. Reid." Steve's conviction was clear. They still needed a plan of action for everything else but this they could do.

* * *

The little girl's eyes bulged from behind her mom's arms where she was tightly tucked. As much as she wanted to stay hidden, she couldn't help but audibly gasp at the size of the building. It was like her house times a thousand! She snapped her open mouth shut though when her mom shushed her and quietly warned, "Bella, sweetheart…" Bella could hear the tension in her voice, she knew that they were going to another hospital but this one was so much bigger than anything else she had seen and she had a hard time reigning in her surprise. Of course then she started coughing again and she couldn't help but miserably curl tightly back into her mom's arms.

Happy turned around and forced himself to keep his voice even, dispassionate, "We're here, ma'am. Please stay in the car for just a few more minutes."

Alyssa looked up from where Bella had just tucked herself close, her soft coughs muffled against her shoulder, and looked at the body guard, "Of course." And she had every intention of doing everything they said, she wasn't completely sure what Frank had done to get this but when she had received a call from Steve Rogers about helping her daughter, she immediately knew she wasn't going to do anything to mess it up. Well, once she got over the shock of receiving a phone call from Captain America, she knew she wasn't going to do anything to mess it up. She also couldn't help the thin shred of hope that they would know where her husband was.

* * *

Happy stepped in the front door and glanced up to see Pepper and Natasha standing back by the doors that lead into the interior of the Complex. He stepped purposely toward them, trying to brush off the irritation he felt at what they were going to do. He stopped a few steps from the two, "They're here." Then he looked over at Pepper, "Are you sure you don't just want me to take them back? I don't mind."

Pepper smiled stiffly at him, appreciating what he was trying to do, "I'm alright. I think I need to be here."

He looked at her skeptically for a moment before burying it and trying again, slightly more subtly to get her to reconsider, "I'm going to go get them then."

Pepper's smile became a little less stiff at the obvious concern in his voice, she really did appreciate it, and she voiced it, "Thanks Happy."

* * *

Natasha watched the woman enter the complex with narrowed eyes. After she had been able to corroborate what Frank had said, the Avengers kept their promise and reached out to the man's family, it had only taken a few days to set-up a time for them to come in. Frank had promised Natasha that his wife didn't know anything about he had done but this was the test of that piece of information as well. She watched the way the woman held the small girl to her chest but she couldn't help but also intermittently flick her gaze to Pepper, the very pregnant woman had wanted to be present as the face of Stark Industries when the two got there. Tony couldn't do it, the majority of the bruising on his face was yellowing but there were some hits that still maintained their purplish color and that would make it obvious that something terrible had happened to him. That left Pepper and there was no way Natasha was going to let her do this on her own.

Pepper watched with a practiced dispassion as the wife and daughter of the man who had nearly killed her husband and son stepped into the entrance to her home. Even with Natasha standing next to her, she couldn't help but tense in anticipation and, if she was being honest, anger. Pepper agreed with the decision to help in principle but now actually seeing the two, she couldn't help the guilty thought that maybe they shouldn't have offered exactly what Frank had wanted. But then she pushed the thought out of her mind and laid her hand on her belly. Tony would have done exactly the same thing. And in that moment, it actually made sense, she _knew_ that Tony would go to the ends of the earth for his family. He had already taken on the universe for Peter and in his own twisted way, Frank had done the same. It didn't make it better but there was a flicker of understanding now. By the time she had reconciled that, the mother and daughter were standing in front of her.

The younger brunette switched her hold on her little girl and held her hand out to Pepper, "Ms. Potts, I just wanted to say thank you. This is an answer to our prayers."

Pepper hesitated for a split second before she took the woman's proffered hand and replied, "Of course, Mrs. Reid." She winced at the undertone of coldness in the short statement, she had meant to keep it more even than that. And she could tell when the woman noticed.

Alyssa was a little caught off guard by the callousness of the woman standing before her but just assumed she was hurting, she was very pregnant and Alyssa couldn't help but sympathize, the last few weeks had been agony on her feet when she was carrying Bella. She tried to put on a smile and break the tension with innocuous conversation, "When are you due?"

"In the next week couple of weeks." Pepper answered, still unable to keep the small bite out of her voice, she had to remind herself that this woman didn't know anything about what had happened to Tony and Peter.

"Oh, that's wonderful," Alyssa tried just a little harder, she did sincerely want Pepper to like her. "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? I remember, my husband and I had initially talked about waiting and then got too impatient and finally had to find out." She smiled in what was meant to be empathy but that expression dropped as she recoiled from the look of loathing that crossed Pepper's face for a moment before it was gone.

That was painful. Pepper felt the anger rise in her chest at that question, the only reason she knew was because of Alyssa's husband and even without her knowledge it still hurt to have that asked and she didn't hide the pain quick enough. When she saw the woman lean back just a bit, Pepper realized her mistake and tried to correct it, even if she couldn't keep the bite out of her curtly sniped, "It's a boy." Unwilling to continue to engage, she added abruptly, "We're going to head this way if you'll follow us." And then she turned on her heel toward the medical wing.

As soon as Pepper turned her back, Alyssa got the picture and castigated herself for trying so hard. Pepper did not want to talk to her. She wasn't totally sure why but realized she didn't have a lot of space to complain or ask. Before following though, she looked over to the other woman standing between them. Alyssa was mildly surprised when she realized it was Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow. Alyssa still remembered her face plastered on every newspaper when SHIELD fell. She realized that if anyone knew anything about her husband, it would be Natasha Romanoff. Frank had told her he was working on something with some powerful people and normally she would have never entertained it being the Avengers but given where she was, she couldn't help but take that leap. Hurrying behind to catch up to Natasha, Alyssa stepped up beside her and quietly asked, "Ms. Romanoff, could I ask you a question?"

Natasha had a sinking suspicion of where this was going but she wasn't quite sure how to sidestep such a simplistic request. She could have easily said no but if she wanted to get information from her later without traumatizing the little girl, she would need to give her a little bit now so she smoothly answered, "Yes."

"Did my husband set this up?" Alyssa realized how vague that sounded and hurried to explain, "It's just, he told me he was working with some powerful people and that when he was done Bella was going to get the help she needed and then you called." She swallowed hard against the tears that pricked the back of her eyes, "But I haven't heard from him, I just, I need to know if you have."

Natasha was not expecting quite that blunt of a question and turning to face the woman, she kept the unemotional expression when she answered, "I'm not sure who your husband is. This is a favor for someone who heard about your daughter's sickness and wanted to help."

Alyssa's surprise came through in her tone as she said with astonishment, "They must be incredibly well connected to ask the Avengers for a favor."

Peter flashed through Natasha's mind. That kid was the only one who could get any of the Avengers to do anything they didn't want to do. But she wasn't about to tell Alyssa any of that so she just nodded and added cryptically, "They are incredibly well-connected."

Alyssa desperately wanted to show her gratitude, so she asked hopefully, "Do you think I could know a name? I would love to be able to thank them." When Natasha met her eyes, Alyssa couldn't miss the flicker of irritation, as if the question had touched a nerve and she immediately regretted it.

Natasha managed to keep the flash of annoyance mostly off her face when she met Alyssa's eyes and her voice was as even as ever when she answered, "Unfortunately, the person has asked to remain anonymous."

"Of course," Alyssa was persistent though, "well if you ever see them, please tell them they were the answer to our prayers and that we are forever grateful."

"I'll make sure to do that." Natasha answered a bit stiltedly.

The conversation fell awkwardly there as they traversed the last bit of the facility before arriving in the med wing. Drs. Cho and Fry met the four of them at the entrance before introducing themselves and leading the mother and daughter away from Pepper and Natasha. There was enough security in the wing that if anything else were to happen, it would be taken care of quickly.

As soon as they were far enough down the hallway, Pepper's rigidly held shoulders dropped slightly and she looked over at Natasha and asked with a hint of frustration, "Is it terrible that I regret coming down?"

"Not at all." Natasha replied, also slightly more relaxed now that they were gone, "I wouldn't have questioned it if you had stayed with Tony and Peter."

Pepper felt more relieved when she answered, "I'm going up there now."

Natasha smirked at her before answering, "I'll be up soon, is everyone else still up there with them?"

"I think so…" Pepper started before she suddenly doubled over, pressing her hand into her stomach and breathing heavily through her nose.

Immediately, Natasha had her hand on Pepper's back, her voice more frantic than she wanted to admit, "Are you alright? Is it the baby?"

Pepper finished a few more breaths and managed to right herself, "It's alright, just an early contraction. My water hasn't broken so its just practice."

Natasha narrowed her eyes but Pepper was moving normally again so she just went with it, switching her direction and keeping her hand on Pepper's back as she walked with her to the elevator.

Pepper smirked at the concern and explained, "You don't have to come with me Natasha, it's nothing right now."

"Yah, I'm not dealing with Tony if I let you go up there on your own and it wasn't a practice contraction." She pressed the button for the floor the others were on before she continued, "I'll head back down after I make sure that you're in with an entire group of hyper-protective people."

Pepper shot her an exasperated look of exaggerated frustration before she answered sarcastically, "Thanks."

The elevator doors opened in front of them and Natasha kept her hand Pepper's back as she steered her toward the couches. The sounds of Mario Cart were obvious and Peter was already crammed into Tony's side, a controller in his hands. Pepper took the other as Tony's sharp gaze immediately registered concern at Natasha's presence. He looked between the two women before stopping on Pepper and asking quietly, "Is everything alright?"

Pepper sighed at the obvious concern, "It's fine, Natasha is just worrying."

Knowing that she wasn't going to fill him in, Natasha obliged, Pepper was scary but Tony was as well, when he wanted to be, "She had an early contraction downstairs and I wanted to make sure she got up here where a bunch of people could watch her before I took care of a few things with Steve."

Tony's eyes widened as he looked over at Pepper and a smile grew, "Really? Are we having a baby?"

She sighed softly and kissed him gently before she responded, "Not for a little longer," then she turned to Natasha, "She's worrying for no reason."

As Tony asked that, the obnoxious video game noise suddenly cut out as the game paused and Peter looked over at Pepper, jumping in excitedly on the conversation, "Are you having contractions? Is the baby coming? I saw on the Office that when contractions start coming every five t…" Peter was cut off as Tony reached the arm he had around his son's shoulders far enough to clamp his hand down over his mouth. Peter narrowed his eyes at Tony, fighting to keep the laughter crinkles at bay even while he pressed himself more fully into his dad's side.

Pepper couldn't help but chuckle at the two and then answered the hyperactive teenager, "No Peter, it's nothing like that. I still probably have another week or so before he decides to show up." Then she sucked in a deep breath when an altogether smaller one hit her and she pressed her hand back into her stomach.

Tony dropped his hand off Peter's mouth and carefully laid it on Pepper's stomach, "Are you sure?"

Pepper recovered much quicker after that one, easily breathing through it and answering, "I'm completely sure. When I go into labor, you'll be the first one to know." She shot a beaming smile at him and snuggled a little closer before she asked, "Whose winning?"

"I am…" Peter grinned wickedly before he hit the pause button, much to Rhodey's vocal chagrin, "Hey, warning next time, kid!" Sam and Bucky shouted out as well.

May reached across Peter's back and touched Tony carefully on the shoulder, "She's right you know? Early contractions are really common."

Pepper leaned forward just enough to look at her and mouth 'thank you' before she settled back into Tony's side.

* * *

 **I really hope that wasn't too fluffy! I've always kind of avoided doing downtime scenes but I figured I would give it a try for this one.**

 **So I wanted to let you know that I won't have another update for a few weeks, I have a trip coming up and that needs to take precedence for a while but I promise, I will definitely finish this story.**

 **Also, one week until Endgame comes out! I hope everyone has been able to avoid the spoilers and that you are ready for an awesome movie :)**

 **I hope you all have a fantastic day/night and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey everyone,**

 **So outside of Endgame (which I'm not going to spoil for anyone but seriously, go see it if you can, its amazing), the work trip went pretty well and I was able to get back to work on this a little quicker than I thought I would be able to.**

 **So I want to make sure I say a huge thank you to those of you who followed or favorited, its definitely encouraging with a story that is this long already. And a massive thank you to everyone who commented! Thank you to:**

 **\- the amazing carajiggirl, I'm glad you were excited by the last chapter :) I was hoping that it would make sense and I'm really glad that you enjoyed the chapter! They did go well, thank you for saying that!**

 **\- the wonderful perplexion08, I love your projections and your thoughts on what I'm writing! I makes me really happy that you're able to get into the story and that it makes sense! It was super hard to avoid spoilers for Endgame and it was completely epic - did you get to see it yet?**

 **\- the awesome NameIsKohl, Thank you! I'm glad the descriptions don't drag, I'm always a little worried about that!**

 **\- the spectacular skydancer121, Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful time watching Endgame too!**

 **You guys take the time to review and I always really appreciate it so thank you again.**

 **And without further ado,**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day, Steve and Natasha found Tony and Peter in the workshop. Peter was working on the scrap heap of a car Tony had bought him for his sixteenth birthday. The plan had been to refurbish it together and they had gotten pretty far before they had been kidnapped. When the two walked in, Peter was laying back on the creeper he had pushed out from under the chassis and was smiling as he talked animatedly to his dad. Tony was watching him from a chair, he was still unable to move easily enough for it to be safe for him to be working alongside his son. Still, both were chatting and neither one was paying enough attention to notice that the other two had walked in. At least until Steve cleared his throat. Almost immediately, the talking stopped and the father and son looked up at their new visitors. Peter, alerted, sat up on the creeper and caught Tony do the same in his chair.

Steve started before they could ask anything, "Tony we need to talk to you."

Tony looked over at Peter for a moment before he looked back at Steve, "'kay. What do you need?" He could tell from the tension they were visibly carrying that whatever it was, was uncomfortable but Tony wasn't quite ready to deal with that on his own so he didn't even acknowledge that Peter might have to leave.

Steve looked over at Natasha, realizing exactly what Tony was doing before he continued, "Maybe we should go somewhere else."

Tony dug in his heels, his voice a little more suspicious when he added, "Here's fine..."

Steve took a step toward him and lowered his voice for all the good he knew it would do, "Are you sure you want to talk about this in front of Peter?"

"Well, considering he heard you anyway and you have given me very little idea of what 'it' is, yah, he's good." Tony's flippant response was a further extension of his frustration at the crypticness of their comments.

Peter couldn't help but smirk at his dad's tone, it was much closer to normal and anything that was closer to normal was good with him. Still, he didn't speak up. He figured that if they asked him to leave, he would and if not, he wasn't going anywhere.

Steve's gaze flicked over to Peter as he explained, "It's about what to do with Frank and the others. We can't hold them forever…" Steve trailed off as he hoped that explained enough to Tony.

Tony looked over at Peter, "Pete, you heard him, do you want us to go somewhere else?"

"No," Peter answered quickly and then added much more respectfully, "I'm good here as long as you're okay with me being here."

There was a part of Tony that wanted to tell Peter to leave but he also knew that some of this had been cathartic for him. Plus he had given a lot of thought to their last conversation and if he was honest, he was reluctant to break up his team. Without responding to Peter, Tony looked back up at Steve, "He's good. What's going on?"

It took some time but eventually, Natasha laid out everything they had learned from the men they had in custody. Then she went into the problems with the solutions they were wrestling with. She explained Sam's solution and admitted that between them, they had not come up with anything better. Then she did something she rarely did, she apologized for it.

Tony stared at them in silence for a bit before he looked over at Peter. His son had an unreadable but contemplative expression on his face. Tony turned his gaze back to Steve and Natasha, "What do you think we should do?"

It was Steve who answered and the guilt was clear in his tone, "Honestly, I'm not sure. I think it's dangerous to turn them over, especially to Ross but I don't think it's fair to ask you to fund them for the rest of their lives. The problem is, we can't come up with any type of compromise that keeps what they know about you quiet."

Tony looked over at Peter, "What do you think, kid?"

Peter stared straight ahead for a moment before looking between the others. When he finally spoke, his voice was measured, "Is it really so bad that they know who I am?"

Tony's eyes widened a bit at the response but then he shrugged and gave him the truth, "I guess not…but I always did it to keep you safe. The more in the lime-light you are, the quicker someone could figure out that you're Spider-Man. That'll bring twice the number of people down on our heads."

Peter hadn't considered that and went quiet again as he tried to sort through all the information.

Tony filled in the silence as he looked back at Natasha and Steve, his voice was determined after he made up his mind, "Whatever it takes to get them to agree to keep their mouths shut, do it. I'll pay anything."

Steve couldn't help but ask, "Tony, are you sure?"

But Tony was resolute in his decision and it was clear in his tone, "To protect my family, yah, I'm sure. But one other thing, when you turn all this over to Ross or whoever you have to, to get rid of Barlow, you keep the tapes from the warehouse between us."

Natasha stepped forward, a note of caution in her tone, "Tony that's a lot of our corroborating evidence."

"I don't know if you've watched everything, but," Tony glanced over at Peter for a moment before looking back at them, "Pete does a few things that he should not be able to do and if those get out, if anyone else sees them, they are one step closer to figuring out who he is and everything we went through would be for nothing. No one is to see those tapes, do you hear me?"

Steve snapped his mouth shut as he looked over at Natasha, he couldn't argue with Tony's demand and if the man was planning on funding everything, they didn't have a right to. Still Natasha pressed just a little more, "Tony, I think that's dangerous. We could edit the tapes so it shows some of what happened to you but if we rely on their testimonies alone, it might not be enough to force Barlow out."

Tony was already shaking his head and the fear and anger mixed in equal intensity in his response, "I don't care. This has to be done without them. I'll drag Barlow out of his office and shoot him myself if I have to but those tapes do not see the light of day." The threat of immediate violence was enough to shut down the rest of the conversation when it sucked all the air out of the room. There was very little space to question whether Tony would follow through on that threat so instead, everyone simply agreed.

Steve and Natasha left the two to their work and it took a minute of silence but eventually they slipped back into talking about what they had been discussing before.

* * *

Relaxation had been the practice for the last few days. Peter and Tony spent time in the lab, hung out with the others, and gradually worked to get back to what was normal for a superhero family. Peter was able to talk through as much as he could with May and the ability to tell someone else helped him immensely.

They were getting there.

But then their lives changed again.

Tony had fallen asleep quickly and as Pepper read in bed, she realized that he was sleeping more comfortably than he had in a while. He wasn't tossing and mumbling, he was just...sleeping. Eventually, the even, not panicked breaths, lulled her to sleep as well. For a few hours anyway.

"Oh god…" Pepper groaned as the first real pains hit her. Then she realized what was going on. Immediately, all the sleep dissipated and she leaned over to her sleeping husband. Shaking his shoulder, she had a moment of guilt when she realized she was waking him up from restful sleep but it was quickly crushed when she had to squeeze his arm tightly against the pain that shot through her. She slammed her eyes shut and breathed hard through her nose as she tried to ride out the wave of agony. When she finally got her breath back, she managed to call out, "Tony…Tony, come on, wake up please…" She shook his shoulder harder and nearly cried out in relief when he jerked awake.

"Pep…Pepper, waz wrong? Waz going on?" He sat up quickly and looked around the room for a moment as he tried to collect himself before quietly calling out, "Pete?" Normally, it was a nightmare that woke him this early but he didn't see his son so he turned back to Pepper.

"No…no Tony…nothing's wrong…ba…baby's coming. We have to go…ahhh…" Pepper curled tighter over her stomach, her head landing on Tony's shoulder. She breathed hard a few times as she tried to get a handle on the pain in case what she just said wasn't enough.

It took Tony a moment to process exactly what was going on but then he heard Pepper cry out and immediately he knew what was happening. All thought of sleep flew out of his mind and his responses were significantly more coherent, "Oh…okay! Okay…okay…we have to get downstairs. We can do that…we can do that."

"Yah…just need help." Pepper groaned as she managed to flick her eyes up at her husband who was definitely not moving fast enough. It figured, the one time he couldn't wrap his head around something, was now.

But Tony normally surprised her. His mind spun into focus as he jumped up the best he could and leaned down to help Pepper out of bed. She had managed to breathe through the last contraction and was able to lever herself up into a sitting position before she used the hand he had offered to pull herself the rest of the way out of bed. It wasn't a long journey but it was definitely a difficult one.

* * *

When Peter woke up the next morning, he threw on one of Tony's old SI sweaters and padded out into the communal kitchen where he assumed his dad would be. Tony's new habit had been making coffee for the others, mostly because he was usually already awake but when Peter stepped in, the room was dark. For a split second, Peter panicked. He felt a heavy weight slam into him as he glanced around the room without actually seeing anything. Then with a force of considerable will, he made himself calm down. He knew where he was. He was home, he was safe. His dad probably just had something he had to do and was wherever that was. Or maybe, he was just still sleeping, that would actually be a good thing. Realizing there was a really easy solution to all this, Peter forced himself to pull a few deep breaths through his nose and deliberately release them, slowing his racing heart before he called out, "FRIDAY, where's my dad?"

The omnipresent voice answered with her normally optimistic tone, "He's down in the medical wing. Would you like me to get him for you?"

Well that answer didn't help. Peter felt terror seize his throat, what had happened? Why hadn't he said anything? Why hadn't he woken him up? He managed to squeak out, "N…no, why is he in the med wing? What's wrong?"

"Ms. Potts is having their baby."

It took a second for that to make it through the fog of Peter's mind, "Baby?" Then as it made sense, his voice raised in surprise and he called out, "Wait, really!" Without a second thought, Peter took off toward the stairs. He took the steps three and four at a time, relying on his balance and strength to keep him from tumbling to the landing and ending up in the med wing for a completely different reason. His dad would totally kill him for that.

It didn't take him long to make it to the waiting room and then he realized there really wasn't anything he could do to help, he would just have to sit there. But that was fine with him.

* * *

Peter waited for a while by himself, it was kind of nice actually. He didn't want to disturb his dad and Ms. Potts or be in the way at all, so he figured he would just wait for news. He knew he could ask FRIDAY to get Tony into the waiting room but that seemed incredibly selfish so he just sat and enjoyed the quiet.

Eventually, a mother and daughter stepped through the door. Peter watched them from where he was tucked up in his chair. He had never seen them before but that didn't really mean anything. The mother was really beautiful, she had long dark hair that reminded him a little of May but she was tanner and taller than his aunt, even a little taller than Pepper. And walking next to her was a cute little girl who definitely had her mother's looks and what Peter could only assume were her dad's piercing blue eyes. He couldn't help but look again at the little girl's eyes, they looked so familiar but then she looked over at him and smiled brightly. All thought of her heritage forgotten, he couldn't help but grin back.

As they walked passed him, the little girl pulled out of her mom's grasp and stepped toward him. When she got close enough, she held out her hand and innocently introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Bella. What's your name?"

Peter was amazed at the precociousness of the girl and couldn't help but chuckle, taking her hand in his significantly larger one, he shook it gently and answered, "Hi Bella, I'm Peter."

She cocked her head to the side as she studied him with a knowing look before she asked, "Are you here for your medicine too?"

Peter couldn't help but frown at the question. He was caught off guard by the inquiry and the fact that she seemed fine, so he answered quickly, "Nope" But when her face mirrored his confusion, he elaborated, "I'm waiting for my little brother."

Bella's face fell at that, "Oh…is he sick too?"

There was a surprising level of empathy in the little girl's question and Peter couldn't help but feel bad for whatever she had obviously been through. Hoping to correct at least some of her sadness, Peter quickly answer, "No. Not at all. He just needs a little longer before he can be here." When he realized that she didn't completely understand what he was saying but it was too awkward to try and explain it to her, Peter quickly changed the subject, "So what are you doing here?" Unfortunately, it wasn't what he wanted when tears sprang into her eyes.

Her voice was soft when she explained, "I have to have some more medicine. It's supposed to make me feel better."

It was then that Peter finally understood who he was talking to and for a moment, he froze. This was the daughter of the man who had hurt them and that thought terrified him but at the same time, he couldn't help but realize that she just seemed so sad. He focused on that. He leaned forward on his knees and acted on instinct, "Is the medicine making you feel better?"

Her frown lightened slightly when she said quietly, "A little. Mommy said I have to come here a few more times before I'll be all the way better."

"Well that sounds good." Peter replied, hoping to make her feel a little better about what was happening.

But her sad tone didn't change when she mumbled, "I guess."

Peter realized there might be something he could do to help, he was just sitting there. Maybe FRIDAY could play her favorite movie or something like that. Taking that as the course of action, Peter asked, "So why don't you like it?"

Tears sprang into her eyes and she stepped close enough to whisper in his ear, "I have to be in the room by myself. The doctors said that Mommy can't come with me." She pulled back for just a second and looked him in the eyes before she admitted, "It's really scary."

Peter looked at her for a moment and then looked up at her mother. He knew exactly why the woman was not allowed back there with her. All the technology was still proprietary and it was dangerous to let civilians back there. Not to mention the fact that her husband had kidnapped the both of them. But the longer Peter thought about it, he realize that he could go back with her. Peter decided that was what he was going to do. If he was allowed, of course. Looking up at the little girl's mother, he spoke hesitantly, "You know, I can go back with her if you want me too."

Alyssa was caught off guard by the young man curled up in the chair in the waiting room. For as long as they had been coming to the Compound, no one had ever been in the waiting room. She wasn't completely sure what to make of him and had every intention of just walking passed when Bella pulled away from her. Alyssa couldn't help but watch the two interact and she quickly realized that this young man, whoever he was, as genuinely talking to her daughter. It surprised her how quickly Bella warmed up to him. So when he said that he could go back with Bella, Alyssa seriously considered it although she covered the consideration by asking, "Can you actually do that?"

Peter just nodded before he realized that didn't explain anything, "Ya…yah I can. I…uhh…I work here." He finished lamely, tugging at the sweater as if it explained what his role was without giving away the real reason he could travel anywhere in the Compound.

Alyssa knew how scared Bella had been to go through with all this, she had cried every car ride to and from the facility since the first one and so Alyssa's first instinct was to say yes. She knew how well defended this Compound was and she couldn't help but imagine that the people within were trustworthy as well. Alyssa scrutinized Peter once more as she asked, "Would you mind doing that?"

Peter gave her a smile and shook his head, "Not at all. I have a feeling I'm going to be waiting a while on my own anyway so I wouldn't mind helping out." Peter looked back down at Bella and asked, "Would you like me to go back with you? I know I'm not your mommy but I can keep you company."

The little girl lit up at the prospect, "Really?" Then she spun back to face her mom, "Can he, Mommy? Can he come back with me?"

Alyssa looked over at Peter again and for a moment hesitated before she said, "Of course he can, sweetheart." As soon as her mom gave the okay and without any warning, Bella crawled up into Peter's lap and threw her small arms around his neck.

Peter instinctually wrapped his arms around her and stood easily as she clung to him. He couldn't help but look sheepishly at her mother and then realized he hadn't actually introduced himself. Hurrying to do so, he held one hand out and when she took it, he embarrassedly said, "I'm Peter."

"Nice to meet you, Peter, I'm Alyssa." She couldn't help but smile at the young man her daughter had so quickly taken a liking to and for a moment she realized that whoever he belonged to was going to be lucky to have an older son as genuine and kind as him.

But the introduction didn't last long as Bella started chatting. She leaned back in Peter's arms and looked at him conspiratorially for a moment before she glanced over at Alyssa and then said in a too loud whisper, "Mommy got to meet Black Widow."

The trio walked through the doors as Peter questioned, "You know who Black Widow is?"

Bella shot him an overemphasized look of confusion, "'course, she's a Avenger."

Peter smiled at her and then couldn't help but ask, "Yah she is. Whose your favorite Avenger?"

Bella started giggling as she tucked herself farther into Peter's shoulder and whispered, "Spider-Man." Then she leaned back again with a bright smile on her face and asked, "Whose yours?"

Peter exaggeratedly narrowed his eyes like he was thinking really hard about the answer and when that earned a giggle from the little girl, he answered, "I like Spider-Man a lot too but I think Iron Man might be my favorite. Although Captain America is pretty cool too."

She gave him a wide-eyed look as he rattled off Avengers and then she asked, "Do you think I'll ever get to meet them?"

Peter peered down at her for a moment and then nodded, "I think if you hang around here long enough you'll probably meet somebody. I'll tell you what. If you keep going to your appointments and your Mommy is okay with it, I'll ask around and see if someone else can come say hi. How does that sound?"

Bella's eyes widened almost comically, "Really?"

"Mm-huh." Peter hummed.

She didn't respond, just gave him a tight hug and before they could continue their conversation, Alyssa stopped them outside of her normal treatment room. She gestured to the door, "This is where I have to leave her." She leaned forward and kissed the little girl on the head before pushing back her dark hair, "Mommy loves you very much. You be good for Peter and the doctors."

Bella's look turned serious when she said, "I promise, Mommy."

Then Peter added, "I'll take care of her." He hiked her a little higher up on his hip so he could open the door easily.

Alyssa put her hand on Peter's arm and squeezed slightly, "Thank you." Then she turned and headed back down the hallway to wait, like she always did. Only this time, she felt a little more relaxed about leaving her.

* * *

By the time Tony stepped outside of the room, he was exhausted. Pepper had been in labor for the rest of the night and most of the day and she was finally resting. They had taken Morgan to the nursery and Tony had stepped out to check on Peter and give Pepper a chance to rest without the threat of his nightmares.

As soon as he stepped outside of the room though, the soft voice of FRIDAY spoke, "Boss, Peter is in the waiting room. He asked me to let you know when you left the delivery room."

For a moment, Tony started to ask, "Why didn't he come bac…never mind, just tell him he can come back now."

Tony dropped into the chair in the hallway and ran his hands through his hair before shaking his head to wake himself up a bit. But he must have sat that way for longer than he thought because Peter's voice was the thing that forced his attention.

When Peter got to the end of the hallway, he could see Tony sitting outside the room with his head in his hands and he couldn't help the irrational fear that jumped into his throat. He knew his dad was probably just tired but something about the way he was sitting caused Peter to break out into a sprint. He crouched down in front of Tony as soon as he got there and hurriedly asked, "Dad, you okay?"

Tony looked up in surprise, "Hey Pete, yah I'm alright, just a little tired." He looked up at the concern and couldn't help but genuinely smile, "Pepper is asleep right now so, how about we go see your little brother and then we get something to eat?"

Peter's eyes lit up and he nodded excitedly.

Tony led him over to the room that had been outfitted as a nursery for the baby. Pressing the door open quietly, he slipped in followed closely by Peter. The little boy was bundled up in the crib but his bright eyes were watching the two new visitors. The nurse who was mixing something in the back of the room looked up when they walked in and quickly finished what she was doing. As she stepped up to the door, she said, "I'll be outside if you need anything."

"Thank you." Tony answered before he turned to where Peter was already leaning over the crib.

His voice was soft as he spoke to the small bundle, "Hey Morgan, it's nice to meet you."

Tony couldn't help the tears that sprung into his eyes as he watched Peter talk to Morgan. Tony had known Peter would be a good big brother and to see it playing out was beautiful. He stepped up next to the crib and wrapped one arm around Peter's shoulders while he rubbed his finger along Morgan's cheek.

* * *

Three days later, the new parents were able to take the baby out of the med bay nursery and set him up in their room. Unfortunately, that also meant that they were responsible for his crying. When the evening finally came, it took them time to get him down for the night. Once he curled up and fell asleep, the two exhausted parents followed suit.

If nothing else, the demands of a newborn were enough to allow Tony to sleep with few dreams, it was almost like being drugged. Unfortunately, unlike when he was medicated, he could still react to the world around him.

A handful of hours after the Pepper and Tony fell asleep, Morgan woke up screaming like babies were wont to do. The screams worked their way into his dreams, and what had been peaceful nothingness morphed into the small cell again. And he was so tired that the screams weren't Morgan's, they were Peter's. Then Tony could see them hitting him again and he tried to get to Peter but couldn't move. He could feel his body weighed down and held in place. He knew he was panicking…but then he was shaken awake. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling as he tried to get his hitching breaths under control when Pepper appeared above him.

It took Pepper a bit to understand that the screeching sound demanding her attention was her son. Once she did, she sat up immediately. Her initial thought was to let Tony sleep, he had not sat up with her and she assumed it was because he was still recovering and was deeply asleep but then she realized that he was struggling, probably with a nightmare. He was mumbling and clutching tightly to his pillow while his breath came in uneven gasps. Knowing she needed to help him before she saw to Morgan, she started shaking his shoulder. Her voice was urgent, "Tony, wake up." After a bit of her urging, he shuddered awake before rolling on his back and staring up at the ceiling.

Tony was confused but his mind quickly solidified when he realized the screaming was definitely not in his nightmares. He finally looked up at the woman leaning over him and whispered, "Pepper?"

Pepper smiled sadly down at him, she hadn't expected to be taking care of a newborn and a husband who was dealing with his own significant problems because of something someone else had done. Her voice was soft, comforting, "It's okay, Tony, just go back to sleep. I'll get him."

However, Tony was able to process that and the thought of not helping with Morgan was horrifying. His youngest son was uncomfortable or upset or hungry or something else was wrong and he was currently not doing anything to fix it, that realization woke him up immediately. He was quick to sit up and answered, "No I want to help. I'll help."

Pepper eyed him skeptically and thought about telling him to go back to sleep but realized that she could probably use the help, "Okay, let's go see what he needs then."

It didn't take them too long to convince Morgan to go back to sleep. He was hungry. Once they both dragged themselves back into bed, Pepper fell asleep almost immediately. For Tony, he just kept hearing those screams echoing around his head. He knew they had been Morgan's but every time he close his eyes, they became Peter's. And they were caused by pain not hunger. Every time he managed to nod off, he went back there. Back into the cell with those men beating his son to death. After about an hour of trying to convince himself it was a dream, Tony rolled back out of bed. He knew exactly where he was going. Where he needed to be.

* * *

Tony opened the door a little harder than he wanted to and stumbled into the room, keeping his wits about him long enough to shut the door quietly. He quickly crossed the soft carpet until he was able to collapse at the side of his older son's bed, his knees hitting the floor hard as his upper body crumpled forward onto the mattress. Tony ignored the pain that shot through his body at the stilted motions because knowing was more important. Tony's hands immediately had to touch, his left hand finding its way into Peter's hair while his right latched onto Peter's forearm. As soon as he realized that Peter was in fact still there, Tony exhaustedly dropped his head onto the mattress. He felt crazy, absolutely insane. Obviously Peter hadn't been hurt. Obviously, it had been Morgan crying but dammit if Tony's first thought when a scream woke him out of a dead sleep was that they were back there. And Peter was in pain. And he couldn't handle that.

Peter was suddenly jolted awake. Without completely understanding what was going on, he jumped when he felt hands on his head and arm, immediately trying to scoot away. But he didn't get far when he noticed the mop of hair at his side and the lack of warning from his spider senses. Peter slid back again and reached out, "Dad? What's going on, is everything okay?" His first thought was that something was wrong with Morgan.

Tony looked up at him with wide-eyes as he shook his head, "I just…I needed to see you."

"'m right here," Peter answered, wiping the last of the sleep from his eyes.

"Yah, you are." Tony said, before he abruptly stood, his voice becoming a little harder, "I'm sorry I woke you up, Pete. I'm gonna leave so you can get some more sleep."

Peter sighed and his voice dropped into the incredulous, "You're not going to go back to sleep, dad." Of course he knew that wasn't true.

But Tony was, of course, adamant, "Yah I am."

Peter looked at him sideways, allowing his disbelief that Tony was actually trying this show through in his expression, and just in case Tony didn't get it because it was dark in his room, Peter let the confidence in his tone highlight his discovery of the lie, "No you're not. You're going to go lie in bed for the next few hours until you have to get up with the baby, aren't you?" Peter knew he was right so he tried to redirect the obvious rebuttal, "What happened?"

"Morgan started crying…" Tony trailed off as he tried to find a way to make his insanity seem somehow more logical.

"So you came in to hide…" Peter started what was meant to be a snarky comment and then stopped when he realized what Tony had actually heard, "You thought it was me?" Horror shot through his mind at that. Of course his dad thought he had screamed. Peter had been woken up plenty of times in their apartment by screaming children. It was sudden and sometimes terrifying when it came out of no where. And Morgan had only been out of the med wing for a day, of course his dad wasn't used to it yet.

Tony nodded miserably, "I thought they were hurting you again."

Peter frowned and added, "They weren't, 'm okay." Then, he couldn't help but ask, "Is Morgan still crying?" He knew the little boy was taken care of but at the same time he found it suddenly really important that he knew the answer to that question. Peter felt the mattress shift under his dad's weight as he lightly sat down on the edge of the bed. The slump in his shoulders betrayed his exhaustion.

Tony's voice was quiet when he answered, "No, Pepper and I took care of him but after she went back to sleep, I couldn't."

Peter launched himself at his dad, wrapping his arms around his neck and holding him tightly, before whispering, "I'm sorry."

Tony instinctually brought his hands up to wrap around Peter's back before he buried his head into the crook of his neck and sighed, "Yah, me too."

Peter heard the fatigue in his tone and immediately knew that he had an answer, "Do you want to lay down? Try to take a break?"

Tony wanted so badly to say no. He knew he needed to be around to help with the baby and he also knew that he needed to deal with this or he was going to be afraid of his youngest son. But it was so hard because he knew what he was going to hear the next time Morgan woke him up and in his gut he knew that this moment would make it better. So he hesitated, realizing how stupid this all was but then also realizing that sleep was not a bad thing, especially with a few day old baby. Eventually, his need for sleep won out and he laid down next to Peter, wrapping his arm around him. Peter relaxed into the crook of his shoulder. His normal spot. Tony rubbed his hand up and down Peter's arm as his son's breathing started to even back out into sleep. Then he realized Peter was mumbling as he slowly drifted off, "'m okay, dad. I'm right here. 'm alright." He didn't make it long but Tony couldn't help the relief it brought to his chaotic mind. Hearing it from his son seemed to help a lot more than he thought it would. As a result, it didn't take Tony long after that to follow his lead.

* * *

He woke to FRIDAY's whispered voice a few hours later, "Boss? Ms. Potts is asking about you."

"Thanks FRIDAY," Tony answered in a whisper. He tried to move Peter off his shoulder without waking him up but it didn't work.

Peter shifted as Tony started to slide away from him and he groggily asked, "Dad?"

Tony smiled softly as he froze and ran his hand back through Peter's hair, whispering, "It's okay Pete, I'm just going to go help Pepper. Go back to sleep."

Peter's groggy voice answered back, "Need...help?"

Tony couldn't help but pull him close again and kiss Peter's forehead, warmth growing in his chest at the continued selflessness of his oldest son, "No 'm good." Tony looked at the alarm clock the teenager inexplicably kept on his nightstand, "It's only six, get some more sleep."

"Mm'kay." Peter hummed as he closed his eyes again, problematically snuggling deeper into Tony's shoulder before the older man could move away quick enough.

"Pete, I gotta get up." Tony rolled Peter off his arm and stood carefully, watching for a moment as the younger man curled back into his blankets.

* * *

Pepper looked up as Tony stepped back into their room, Morgan was cradled carefully in her arms, his bright eyes watching Tony as he sat down next to her. She smiled softly at him before asking, "Everything okay?" There was no accusation in her tone, just the need to understand.

Tony let Morgan grab ahold of his fingers and gave him a soft smile before turning to Pepper, unable to keep the tortured expression off his face when he answered, "I had to check on Peter."

"I know…" She started before she explained, "I knew I woke you up from a nightmare…" She trailed off.

Tony dropped his eyes in embarrassment as he whispered, "I'm sorry I wasn't here, Pep."

But Pepper was quick to correct him, quick to show she didn't blame him in the slightest, "Please don't apologize, Tony. I understand. And I'm not mad. I just didn't know where you were. FRIDAY didn't have to tell you, I was just asking."

Tony rebutted her statement easily, "Yah she did, I need to help too."

Pepper leaned over and kissed him, "What happened, Tony?"

Tony looked at her with wide eyes for a moment before he dropped his gaze to the precious baby in her arms. He scrubbed his hand over his face before letting his free hand fall into his lap. Only once he found the courage, did he try to explain, "I was okay until he started crying…"

"Morgan?" Pepper asked, a little unsure of who he was in this instance.

Tony nodded and then explained everything to her. He explained the nightmare and what he had to do in order to work passed it. How he was ashamed he had left her alone to take care of the baby. Still, he was painstaking in his description because he knew how badly he had hurt her feelings the last time he hadn't told her everything.

When he was done, Pepper was just looking at him with a distraught expression and managed to force out, "I'm so sorry, Tony."

Tony gave her a weak smile that didn't quite make it to his eyes, "It's okay, Pep. Thanks for understanding."

She just gave a nod before she stood and put Morgan back in the basinet. She laid back down in bed and pulled Tony with her, tucking her head into his shoulder and curling around him. She closed her eyes for a moment before she explained, "We're gonna get through this. All of us. And we'll get through it together."

Tony couldn't help but nod at her comments, of course she was right, "I love you, Pepper."

"I love you too, Tony." She relaxed into his shoulder and closed her eyes, ready to get a few more hours of sleep before the rest of their family woke up.

* * *

Natasha stepped up to where Alyssa was sitting, waiting for Bella to be finished with another one of her treatments. She took up the seat next to her and carefully weighed her words as the younger woman looked over at her with confusion but waited for her to speak. Eventually, Natasha asked cryptically, "Can you help me with something?"

Unwilling to end up on the bad side of any of the Avengers, Alyssa nodded hesitantly but kept her mouth shut until Natasha elaborated.

"Good, follow me." Natasha didn't bother trying to explain anything because the reality would be the best explanation she could give. She stood and waited in the doorway for Alyssa to follow her out.

Alyssa tracked Natasha's retreating back for a moment as she hesitated. She knew that Bella was safe. Peter was with her like he had been for the last few days, and it would still be a few hours before she was even awake but at the same time, it was hard for Alyssa to leave. Still she had given her word and they were helping her daughter so she really had very little choice in the matter. Letting her shoulders drop with a sigh, Alyssa trailed after Natasha. She couldn't help but ask, "What exactly can I do for you?"

"Its really better that I just show you."

Alyssa followed Natasha to the elevators. They waited in awkward silence as the soft bell that signaled the door's opening chimed. Natasha stepped into the cab and waited for Alyssa to follow, the woman reluctantly did as questions spun through her mind. Still, the silence continued.

When they finally got off the elevator, Natasha led her into another room that looked much more like a holding cell. Steve Rogers was standing in the doorway and beyond him, Alyssa could see someone sitting at a table but his head was bowed and the room was dim so it was hard to make out who it was.

Alyssa took a step into the room and tried to look around Steve's massive frame only to turn and shoot Natasha a quizzical look before finally voicing her concerns, "Ms. Romanoff, what's going on?"

But before anyone could answer, the dimly lit man's head shot up and he spoke in a smooth voice if terrified voice, "Alyssa?"

Alyssa knew that voice anywhere, it had been the voice she had woken up to for the last twelve years, and she spun away from Natasha, stepping passed Steve as she tried to get a better look. When she realized exactly who it was, her voice was higher as she asked, "Frank?"

* * *

 **So there you have it!**

 **I've been playing around with ways to wrap up each of the story lines and so this is where I'm headed with it, Alyssa really needed to know what was going on anyway if I'm being completely honest.**

 **If you haven't seen it, Endgame was amazing and heart-breaking all at the same time (again, no spoilers I promise), so go check it out!**

 **That's all I have for you right now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and feel free to let me know what you thought in the reviews.**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful night/day and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey everyone!**

 **So after Endgame happened (I don't want to give any spoilers so I'm just going to say that), I decided to keep writing to deal with it :)**

 **As always, you guys are awesome and I appreciate the support and the comments you've made, they definitely make my day to read them. You guys are awesome, so I want to say thank you to:**

 **\- the wonderful skydancer121, you are so incredibly sweet to say that, thank you :) and I hope you continue to enjoy it for as long as it goes on!**

 **\- the spectacular JohnGilbertVampirehunter, I had a lot of fun writing that bit so I'm glad you enjoyed it and I don't know if I should tell you here because of spoilers here but I guess you could PM me if you want to know still :)**

 **\- the amazing perplexion08, I'm glad you enjoyed my last update and that you liked the interactions, that one was surprisingly fun to write :)**

 **I'm so sorry to hear that :( your brother is totally just being mean but I'm glad that you've been able to escape every time! It will definitely be worth the wait and I hope you're able to stay spoiler-free! You take care as well and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **\- the outstanding NameIsKohl, I have to agree with you and I hope I did that justice in this chapter!**

 **\- the incredible seireidoragon, Thank you so much for saying that, I'm glad you're enjoying it and I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!**

 **\- the fantabulous carajiggirl, I'm definitely banking on that :) And I'm glad you liked that scene, I was a little nervous to write it but in my head it made sense so I figured I would run with it. Thank you for sharing your kind words.**

 **I really appreciate the support and the comments, I hope that this chapter lives up to your expectations and continues to move the plot forward.**

 **So without further ado,**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Alyssa stood stunned and wide-eyed for a moment as she took in the tired expression on her husband's face. Then she turned to Natasha, unable to hide her confusion, "I thought you didn't know who he was? Why is he here?" She glanced around what was obviously some kind of cell and felt hot tendrils of anger building in her throat but she forced it to be a slow burn, reminding herself they were still helping Bella.

"He has a lot to answer for so this is really the best place for him." Natasha answered in a flat voice, eyes devoid of emotion even while her own ire boiled under the surface.

Alyssa's anger started to replace her confusion as she mulled over the vague and useless answer. Then fear struck, what if they weren't helping Bella? What if there was something sinister at work here? None of this made sense anymore, or it really seemed like it made even less sense than it had before. As all those thought swirled, Alyssa couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of betrayal and deception that she couldn't hide as she pathetically stutter out, "Wait…what?" She pressed her hand to her head and closed her eyes as she tried to catch up on a problem she was very obviously not prepared to answer. Turning to face Natasha, she tried again, "What could he possible have done to end up here? Where even is here?"

Natasha decided to answer the easier question first, "These are the holding cells." She didn't quite mean it to sound as flippant as it did but there was not much she could do about it now and so instead, she answered the more difficult question as well but she couldn't quite keep the snarl out of her tone, "To answer your other question, his initial plan was to try and extort our technology instead of just asking for our help. In his attempt, he took and tortured our own for leverage. When we got them back, the only way we could get him to talk was to promise to help your daughter and if it hadn't been for an altogether more persuasive person, he would have even that screwed up."

Alyssa tried to reconcile that story with everything she knew about her husband and no matter what way she turned it, it didn't fit. Frank had never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. Alyssa knew he had done some things he felt guilty for during his time in the army but kidnapping an American citizen? Torturing one of the Avengers? That ran so contrary to everything her husband had tried to be that she was suddenly sure this was a mistake. Someone had messed up and she could help to clear it up. She had to help clear it up. Operating on that much easier understanding of the situation, Alyssa looked back up at Natasha and Steve, her voice confident, "I realize that you're the best at what you do but my husband could never do that. He's a good man. He would never go out of his way to hurt someone. You have to be mistaken. This has to be a mistake." But as Alyssa watched the stony expressions of the two Avengers standing in front of her, a small thought wormed its way into the back of her mind…he had been gone for a while and if it was for Bella, could he do something like this? She rushed to press the thought away as she internally begged for them to just be wrong.

Natasha watched the woman in front of her grappling with the information she had laid out and she saw the moment the whiff of reality worked its way into her mind, still, none of this was going to mean anything coming from her. She tipped her chin up as she gestured toward Frank, her voice was hard but not devoid of compassion as she said, "Why don't you ask him?"

Alyssa felt her stomach drop at the suggestion. If Natasha did not feel the need to explain it any further, she was terrified of the truth of what she had already been told. Alyssa turned hesitantly, as if the world around her had slowed and time only existed in this moment. She haltingly stepped up to the table and pulled out the chair like she was learning how for the first time and then she sat down heavily. Leaning forward so she could rest her elbows on the table, Alyssa quietly spoke to her husband, "Frank, what's going on? Why are they saying these things? Why haven't you told them that it wasn't you, that there's no way you could have done any of that?"

Frank glanced up at Natasha and Steve, a slight snarl carved into his features before he turned back toward his wife and his expression softened. He took a long moment to memorize her face because he knew in his gut that he was going to lose her as soon as she knew what he had done. Swallowing hard, he tried to clear the lump in his throat but it didn't work, and instead, his voice became a begging whisper, "Bella needed help, Lissa. More than we were able to give." He cleared his throat again and sat up as high as he could in the seat. When he spoke, his voice had changed, the emotion falling away as he explained the facts of the situation, "I accepted a mission. I knew that there was technology in this facility that could save Bella and the man who hired me promised access to it if I just got Stark to tell me a few things. But I knew there was also a time limit so I tried to be as persuasive as possible."

Alyssa's eyes welled up as she heard her daughter's name, the small voice in her mind became a little louder. Then he gave his confession and a few tears fell as she choked out, "No, Frank, no… that's not true. Why are you saying these things? Please tell me that's not true?" She was desperate and begging all three of them to be playing some kind of sick joke on her.

Frank met her eyes, "I can't."

The dead look in his eyes terrified her and her voice betrayed that when she begged for clarification, "You can't what?" She subconsciously knew the implications in his simple statement but she was fighting reality with everything she had because it just could not be true. The man she had known for the last twelve years couldn't have done something like this. It wasn't possible for her to have read him this wrong.

Frank glanced at his lap for a moment as he collected himself before he looked up at her again. He met her eyes and swallowed hard before he elaborated, "I orchestrated a plan to kidnap and torture Tony Stark in order to get information that was necessary to save our daughter."

Alyssa stared at him for a minute as she tried to comprehend that. It didn't work and she breathed out the rhetorical question, "You kidnapped Tony Stark?" She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes and instead she focused on her tightly clasped hands. She was trying with everything she had to not break down or hyperventilate. Her mind spun into overdrive as she sorted through the last few weeks at the facility, eventually settling on the one time she had met anyone close to Tony Stark and her eyes widened. She had wondered why Pepper seemed to hate her on first impression, if this was true, she had every right. Embarrassment caused her cheeks to flush and then anger flared in her chest as she realized how stupid she must have looked. How that woman had even looked at her, Alyssa couldn't even imagine. Alyssa met Frank's eyes in anger as she snapped, "I met his wife. I shook her hand. I asked her about their son. It's no wonder she was so cold. You have to tell me this isn't true." She swallowed hard, imploring him to tell her the truth but when he just held her gaze, she could read the reality in them. Sharp betrayal shot through her as she continued, "Why would you think that kidnapping and torturing someone would be the answer to our problems?"

Frank's gaze was even, cold, professional and his voice matched when he answered, "It was the fastest way. A means to an end. It wasn't meant to be personal, it was just another mission. But they wouldn't cooperate…"

Alyssa couldn't keep the hurt and confusion out of her tone as she raised her voice, "You actually expected him to just give you what you want…wait, whose 'they'?" Why that was the piece that that caught her attention, she couldn't be sure but as soon as he said it, she realized that Natasha had said 'them' initially as well.

Frank seemed to notice his mistake, flinching in his chair like he had been slapped and then he quickly tried to cover it, "I misspoke, I meant him."

But she knew him better than that, or at least she knew some part of him better than that and she snapped, "You don't misspeak, Frank. Who are 'they'?" She frowned and a few tears tracked down her cheeks as she quietly asked, "Please tell me you didn't hurt Tony Stark and someone else." She was begging again but when she saw his facade crack as tears built in his eyes a moment before he dropped them away from her, she knew he wasn't going to answer. And she knew the truth was going to hurt. She turned in her seat and faced the two Avengers behind her, her voice was cautious when she asked, "Who else was there? Please you have to tell me who else was involved in this."

Neither answered. Natasha threw her chin forward again toward Frank as if to indicate that he should answer.

Alyssa turned slowly back toward her husband and asked again, "Frank, who are 'they'?"

The air in the room crackled in painful anticipation. It took Frank a few minutes and he couldn't meet her eyes, but he did explain in a choked whisper, "There was an intern. A teenager. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he was caught up in the extraction. For a while, we avoided it but eventually we tried to use him to get Stark to tell us what we wanted to know."

This had been something that Natasha had been afraid of in the conversation but hearing Frank refer to Peter as Tony's intern meant that they were able to trust him to keep his mouth shut or at least there was a better chance they could trust him to keep his mouth shut outside of this complex.

Alyssa hiccuped a sob as she pressed her fist into her mouth to try to keep from screaming, but she couldn't do anything to keep the tears from falling. When she was finally able to squash the scream in her throat, she tried to talk again but her voice cracked as she replied, "A teenager. Oh god…You used him? What does that even mean?" Alyssa watched Frank glance over her head at the two Avengers behind her. He must have seen something he didn't like because his face scrunched in anger before he looked back down at her.

Frank looked up at Natasha with a pleading expression, he didn't want to tell Alyssa what he had done but Natasha was not willing to forgive and she shot him a dagger-like gaze that communicated her orders perfectly. He had to look away and when he finally looked back at the broken expression of his wife, all he could get out was, "I…I can't tell you."

Alyssa's horrified expression deepened and she pressed, "What do you mean you _used_ him, Frank?" In her heart, she knew what it meant but she needed to hear it, needed him to admit what he had done.

"We hit him…" Frank trailed off, unable to elaborate, unable to take the accusation that had wormed its way into her petrified expression.

But Natasha wasn't willing to let him get off easy on this. She heard him trail off and couldn't help the anger that flashed through her mind as she snapped, "You didn't just hit him." She took a threatening step forward and her voice deepened into a snarl as she elaborated, "You broke his bones. Beat him in front of Tony. Don't try to make it sound like all you did was give him a black eye. He was tortured, the same as Tony."

Alyssa's expression darkened and she leaned forward in her chair. The incredulousness in her voice caused it to raise a few octaves, "You beat a teenager? You broke his bones? What is wrong with you? Who would do that? What could you possibly have been thinking!"

That finally did it. That made him angry. And Frank's eyes finally snapped solidly to her's when he loudly answered that question, "I was thinking about our daughter!" Frank snapped, finally fighting back after being used as a punching bag for so long.

Alyssa was not ready to accept that though, she answered back with equal intensity, "But you used a teenager! A child!" Her voice dropped as angry tears started to fall and she watched the wall behind him. After a tense silence, she realized something else and her voice was hard when she added, "How…how did you justify using someone else's son to save your daughter? After everything we have been through to help her, why would you put someone else through that? We would have found another way!"

Frank flinched at her response. Inwardly, he was still trying to deal with the implications of using Peter against Tony, especially after knowing their relationship and now to hear it laid out like that, it hurt. His anger drained away until the guilt was all that was left and he couldn't form an answer.

Alyssa dropped her head into her hands as she tried to wrap her head around everything that was still smacking her in the face. She couldn't help but whisper to herself, "Oh my god…oh my god…" After a minute, Alyssa looked back up at Frank and her broken voice echoed her disappointment, "Why?" Frank just looked away and Alyssa let the tears start to fall. The idea of a teenager being caught up in this broke her heart and she ruminated on that idea, she couldn't help the face that popped into her mind. Turning hesitantly in her chair toward the two Avengers, Alyssa asked tentatively, "This intern, the one who was hurt, please tell me his name wasn't Peter."

Natasha straightened her shoulders at that, that was information this woman should absolutely not have but at the same time, she realized whatever this connection was, it might be useful. They could protect Peter from her. Natasha hesitantly answered, "It was."

Alyssa's tears fell faster then as she looked between the two opposing forces and her voice was quiet but commanding as she explained with a sniffle, "I think I might have met him the other day. He was nice to Bella." Her voice dropped and she quietly asked, "The Peter I met was the intern that he kidnapped with Tony Stark, wasn't he?"

Natasha took a second to collect herself and weigh the consequences of this course of action. There were no other interns so apparently at some point Alyssa had met Peter but Natasha had to figure out if the truth was helpful. Given the apparent connection this woman had with Peter, Natasha decided on the truth, "Yes, he was." Then she asked a question of her own, "How did you meet him?"

Alyssa nodded slowly and then continued, shell-shocked, "He was sitting in the waiting room when we came in for Bella's treatment, he said he was waiting on…" She trailed off as she suddenly dry-heaved, her fist flying back up to her mouth as she tried to keep her meager breakfast down. When she was finally able to vocalize her distress it come with a decent amount of panic, "Oh my god. Oh my god. Peter's not Tony Stark's intern, he's his son." She unwrapped her fist and pressed her hand to her mouth as she closed her eyes tightly as the quiet realization that this wasn't a hospital hit her before she continued, "Oh my god. He told Bella he was waiting to meet his little brother. Ms. Potts looked like she was far enough along…oh my god…" Before anyone else in the room could move, Alyssa aggressively leaned forward over the table toward Frank before she snapped, "Did you know?"

He didn't meet her eyes, his answer was a cop-out and he knew it, "Know what?"

With that answer, her stress, frustration, and anger boiled over and Alyssa slapped him. Hard. Her voice was ice as she continued, "Don't give me that bullshit, Frank. Did you know that Peter was Tony's _son_ when you hurt him?"

As soon as she slapped him, Frank couldn't take his water-logged eyes off her. His surprise at her actions was clear and he couldn't help but stutter out, "Y-yes."

Alyssa leaned down on the table, her face close to Frank's as she scowled, "Is that why you _used_ him?"

Frank just nodded, unable to fully explain what he had done.

"That's disgusting, Frank. I understand the willingness to do whatever you can for your child but you can't tear another family apart to make it happen." She sat back rigidly in the chair and continued to twist the knife, "You know he's helping Bella right now? Peter is? She's been terrified to do all this on her own and so he started helping her. He has to know who she is and he's still helping her…oh my god…" She trailed off again as vomit rolled in her stomach only to be pushed down as she looked back up at Frank with fury in her eyes, "You're sick."

Frank's face dropped as soon as she said it and he couldn't help the brokenness of his whisper, "Lissa, please."

But Alyssa wasn't prepared to listen, snapping, "Don't try that, Frank. After everything you just told me, don't you dare try that." She stood abruptly and stalked toward Natasha and Steve, lashing out at everyone in the room who decided that she should be the last to know what was going on with her own family. She sneered at them as she spoke, "Is this what I was supposed to help you with? It kind of seems like you knew all of that already so if you're done screwing around with me, I would like to go see my daughter."

Natasha was nonplussed at the anger and her voice was even as she responded, "We just need one more thing."

Alyssa felt her nerves ripping apart, she couldn't take much more of this but she also knew she couldn't batter her way passed two Avengers. "What?" She snarled.

Natasha allowed the anger, finally knowing that what Frank had told her about his wife not knowing the truth was, in fact, true. She kept her voice neutral when she explained, "He didn't work alone, we need to know how to get through to the man who helped him."

That request caught her off-guard and the anger fell away a bit as confusion took its place. She took a half a step back as she asked, "The man who hired him? How would I know that?"

Natasha realized the source of her confusion and she corrected her, "No. We know who hired him but he had a right-hand man, he's the only one we haven't been able to get through to because of some kind of personal loyalty."

Alyssa spun on her heel, her eyes widened even farther in anger as she snapped at her husband, "Wes. You dragged Wes into this." She stalked toward him and leaned forward on the table, "After everything he's been going through with the boys, you dragged him into this clusterfuck? You're not just sick, Frank, you're evil."

Frank didn't respond but he finally dropped his gaze back to the table as his shoulders hunched forward. He was broken.

Alyssa's voice was hard when she continued, "You know, I tried to call him when I hadn't heard from you. I must have called until his phone died because I was terrified and Wes has never not answered my calls."

Frank mumbled toward the table, "He offered to help."

But given what she knew about the outcome of their little mission, she couldn't help but snipe, "Oh, I'm sure he did. Did you tell him you were going to attack a kid? Because I can't imagine he was okay with that."

Frank tried to shrink farther into the chair, immediately flashing back to his fight with his friend but he still couldn't bring himself to say anything.

Decision made, Alyssa leaned down into Frank's face, forcing him to finally look up at her. The passion had dropped out of her tone and there was a shield in place now as she laid down her commands, "If you haven't already, you're going to give them everything they ask for, you're going to help them in any way you can, and then you are going to take whatever deal they offer you or you are _never_ going to see your daughter again. And I feel like this goes without saying but just in case...we're done."

Tears started to fall as Frank's voice broke on his next words, "No Lissa, please."

She spoke down from where she stood over him, "Don't beg, Frank. There is nothing you could say that can make this okay. I can't forgive you for this, especially not after everything Peter has done for our daughter. After everything they have done for our daughter. We're finished. If you do everything that Ms. Romanov and Mr. Rogers tells you to do and you swear on your own life to keep all of this to yourself, I will let you see Bella. But _you_ broke our family, Frank."

Frank shot a harsh glance up toward Steve and Natasha before he spat, "You did this…"

But Alyssa cut him off, putting herself in the path of his gaze, "They didn't do anything. It sounds like you managed to fuck this up on your own." Without another word, she stalked toward the door, stepping passed Steve and Natasha and throwing the door open. She was angry and terrified and hurt and guilty and every other range of negative emotions she could imagine. She heard Natasha and Steve step out of the room behind her and as the door closed behind them, she rounded and snapped, "So why did you need me? It seems like you can already get him to do what you want, why did you have to drag me through that?"

Natasha again took the rage and answered, "I need you to talk to Wes."

Alyssa snarled at the suggestion but bit her tongue to keep from saying anything too obnoxious, instead she settled on asking, "Why me? If his loyalty is to Frank, why not make him do it?"

Natasha shrugged and answered simply, "I don't trust Frank."

That hit Alyssa hard. She had never heard anyone say they didn't trust her husband. He had never been a person to distrust but now her own doubts were creeping in as she attempted to wrap her brain around what he had done. Kidnapping Tony Stark and Peter. Torturing them. God. As those thoughts ran alongside the distrust Natasha was showing, she couldn't help but whisper, "Of course…" It made sense why he couldn't be trusted and it broke her heart all over again. She let herself follow that trail a moment before she forced herself back into the present. Her anger was partially satiated this time and she managed to keep her voice more even, "I mean, I can try. What do you need him to do?"

Natasha inwardly smirked at the acceptance, this would be what they needed. She hurried to explain what they required, "We need a confession. Frank gave his in return for Bella's treatment but we need corroboration. The other two men we captured agreed for payment but they don't know as much, Wes has been different. He's refusing to say anything until he hears from Frank which is something I don't feel comfortable with."

All Alyssa really caught was the first part and she repeated, "So all he has to do is give a confession?"

Natasha realized how jarring experiences like this could be and so she didn't repeat herself, she just stayed with that train of thought as she elaborated, "And agree to go into hiding. He can go with his family if he or they want but he will have to leave."

* * *

When Alyssa finally was able to go see to her daughter, she nearly lost her composure when she saw Peter and Bella playing with Legos on the floor of the waiting room. The teenager was listening intently as her daughter explained something before holding up a colorful creation that had an inexplicable five wheels and two propellers that definitely worked in her mind. Alyssa had to stop and collect herself. She knew Bella was good at reading her emotions and this was not something she was going to show her. At the same time, she had to school her own reaction to what had happened to the young man helping her. As she watched Peter, she couldn't help the guilt that rose up in her throat, he had to know who Bella was and he was still playing with her like his world hadn't been thrown into disarray by his new friend's father. Steeling her emotions, Alyssa finally stepped into the room.

As the door opened, Bella and Peter both looked up and the little girl jumped to her feet, throwing her arms to the side, and yelling, "Mommy!" Alyssa scooped her up and Bella immediately started talking, "Do you see what we made? Peter brought Legos for us to play with." She leaned forward in her mom's arms as she reached for the car-plane hybrid still sitting on the floor. Peter handed it up to her. Bella showed off her creation, "Look mommy, the pra-pellors spin!" She pressed her finger to the plastic wedge and lit up as the grey piece spun freely.

Alyssa forced herself to smile, "That's wonderful Bella. Did you have fun playing with Peter?"

"Yah!" Bella exclaimed as she bounced a few times in Alyssa's arms before curling herself tightly into her neck.

Alyssa grabbed the creation out of Bella's hands, quietly ordering, "That's good but it's time to go, sweetheart, let's give your beautiful creation back to Peter."

Bella's face fell when Alyssa turned and handed the toy back, but as Peter stood to say goodbye, the toy was forgotten when Bella asked, "Are you going to come play with me again tomorrow?"

Without hesitation, Peter smiled and promised, "Of course."

The whole scene broke Alyssa's heart. But then her daughter twisted the knife when she asked Peter hopefully, "Do you think I'll get to meet your little brother?"

Peter's impossible smile widened as he answered, "Maybe but not right now, he's still a little too small to play with the big kids."

Bella frowned slightly at that but also seemed excited to have her friend all to herself as she laid her head into her mom's shoulder and said, "See you tomorrow, Peter."

"See you tomorrow, Little Bug." Peter smiled and waved to his new friend as he started to pack the toys he was holding back into his bag.

Realizing that she absolutely needed to say something because she would never be able to forgive herself if she didn't try to mark a difference between her husband, herself and her daughter, Alyssa hiked Bella farther up on her hip before she turned the little girl away. She reached out and put her hand on Peter's arm before leaning closer and whispering to the young man, "I'm sorry for everything he did."

Peter couldn't help but lean back away from her as his voice caught in his throat, the room around him started to spin, and it suddenly became really hard to catch his breath. He felt the bag he was holding slip from his hands, only to be caught but the stickiness of his fingers. He realized he was suddenly, rapidly losing his ability to keep it together. Peter could see the knowledge in her eyes and understood the apology came from a place of honesty but then he realized that did not make him feel at all better. Still, he couldn't break down in front of this random woman, he couldn't. He forced himself to cram his tears through his swollen throat and managed to squeak out, "Thank you." She gave him a sad smile before she mercifully turned and headed out the door. Peter's shoulders slumped as his breathing came more rapidly while he tried to keep the tears at bay. His ears started to ring and once the last door to the facility shut, he ran to the elevator. His bag forgotten on the floor.

* * *

Peter walked in a daze back up to his rooms. Thankfully, he found Tony in the living room, playing with Morgan's rattle and talking to the little boy. Peter stepped up to the pair and as he leaned onto the sides of the crib, he felt his control weakening and the tears pricked in his eyes again. He dug his head into his folded arms just as the tears started to roll.

Tony knew something was wrong the moment Peter stepped into the room and when his kid slumped onto the crib, Tony didn't question him, he just slipped his arm around Peter's shoulders, tugged him off the crib, and wrapped him in a hug.

Peter gave up all his control once he was in his dad's embrace and he started to sob.

Tony held him tightly as he cried, earning some concerning coos from Morgan and a confused glance from Pepper when she stepped back into the room. Tony gestured over Peter's head toward Morgan and, once Pepper came over, he steered Peter toward the couches. Tony didn't let go as he pulled Peter down into the cushions with him, just let him curl up into his side. Once they were settled, Tony realized that Peter had stopped crying, he was just clinging and Tony knew from experience that sometimes that was worse. Realizing he needed to get Peter talking, Tony asked quietly, "What happened, Pete?"

Peter leaned back enough to look up at him, studying the strain and tiredness on his face and for a moment Peter wasn't sure he actually wanted to lay this on his dad. He knew that Morgan had been keeping them up and so he realized that it might not be the best idea to put even more stress on him. He hesitated.

But as had been their pattern, Tony seemed to know exactly what he was thinking so he started talking, "Pete, we're going to sit here until you tell me what's going on. Whatever that…thought," Tony twisted his finger at Peter's face, "just was, I'm going to tell you to ignore it and then I'm going to ask you again what happened and you better tell me this time." Tony huffed once as he looked down as his now slightly smirking son, "Now, what happened?"

Peter couldn't help but smirk temporarily before his expression fell again. Still he knew he had to answer, he had been caught. His voice was small as he responded with a question, "You know how I've been helping Bella? Jef…Frank's little girl?"

Tony nodded but gave him the space to continue.

Peter kept going, a little more confidence in his tone when he explained, "Well, his wife's name is Alyssa and she must have found out what Frank did to us because she apologized to me when she came to pick Bella up today. And it just…it made me remember everything when I wasn't ready for it…and it…it hurt."

Tony squashed the irrational anger that welled up at that woman's callousness. But as he thought about it, he realized that maybe it wasn't irrational. Obviously, she shouldn't have said anything, that would have been the best thing to do. Instead, she had to make herself feel better by apologizing and the continued hurt from this one terrible family pissed him off further. Still, he couldn't quite do anything about it, he had promised Peter he would help the girl and there is no way he could bring a five year old to the Compound on her own. Even if he was incredibly tempted to do that.

But Peter picked up talking again and Tony's attention was immediately pulled back to him, "I didn't want her to know. I liked it better when I was just helping. It was nice to know that it was just something we were doing to help without any alternative reason. I just…I wish it didn't keep coming back to _that_."

Tony pulled Peter in closer and tucked him farther back into the protection of the couch. As Tony listened to Peter try to collect himself again, he had the overwhelming feeling that he would do anything for this kid. That he would protect him with everything he had. Not that he hadn't already known that but the feelings had returned to his subconscious once everything had calmed down. They were back now.

But Peter wasn't quite done yet as he choked out, "Why does this keep happening? I shouldn't be this upset because someone apologized to me."

Tony took that question in and mulled it for a brief moment before he responded, "It keeps happening because it sucked and we haven't totally worked through it yet. This whole process takes time. I mean, you know I'm still having trouble, Pete. You know that. And, before you say it, it doesn't mean there's something wrong with you, it means the situation sucks. It's okay to acknowledge what you're feeling because it means you can deal with it."

Peter thought about that and realized Tony was right, that he usually was. Peter glanced up at him with tears in his eyes as he whispered, "Thanks, dad." Then Peter tucked his head back into Tony's shoulder.

Tony smiled sadly as Peter curled back up and he quietly whispered, "No problem, kid." Tony wrapped him in a tight hug and gave him the space he needed to pull himself together.

It didn't take Peter as long as it had before. He had been dealing with it long enough that it was starting to get easier and it helped having his dad at his side. When he looked up, he noticed that Pepper had brought Morgan over to the couch and she was talking softly to him while the little boy was watching him and his dad. Peter noticed the attention and smiled at his little brother before pulling himself out from Tony's side. He settled next to Pepper and held his hand out to Morgan, smiling wider when the little boy wrapped his tiny fingers around his pointer finger, he couldn't help the few tears that sprung back up when he whispered, "Hey, buddy." But Morgan's smile widened as he started popping his lips before he pulled Peter's finger in closer and started to gum it, his infectious giggles and coos made it harder to be upset. Everything Peter had been feeling started to melt away and it was easy to just focus on his little brother. It felt even better when Tony dropped his hand onto his shoulder. He was okay. They were okay.

The small family stayed in their suite for the rest of the day, letting the rest of the world move around them. Eventually, the rest of the Avengers made their way up as well, crowding in for company and movies until the new parents started to nod off in their seats.

* * *

Tony waited until FRIDAY told him that Peter had gone back with Bella and Alyssa before he stepped into the waiting room. After he had heard about what happened the day before, he resolved to put an end to the questions and comments of the obnoxious family.

Alyssa had been staring at the floor when she stepped into the long hallway of the medical wing. She was still trying to process everything that had happened the day before and if she was being honest, it still seemed completely surreal. She had almost lost it when she saw Peter waiting as usual, a huge smile on his face and a bag of toys slung over his shoulder, all for her daughter's benefit. She kept herself from saying anything, aware that doing so could make Bella's treatment even more uncomfortable but now that she was finally away from the two, she couldn't help but come back to the truth of what had happened to that teenager. Her mind was flicking through that as she pressed the door open. She had planned on taking a seat in the waiting room but started when she noticed an extra pair of shoes breaking the monotony of the tile floor. Immediately, she flicked her eyes up and froze. Tony Stark was standing in front of her, an angry grimace on his face. They looked at each other for a moment before she realized he seemed to be waiting on her. She managed to squeak out, "Mr. Stark?"

When Alyssa stepped back out of the room, Tony was waiting for her. He realized he scared her when she froze in place, the door swinging closed behind her. Good. That worked to his advantage. Tony watched as she glanced at the room around her before settling back on him, confusion written clearly across her face. He waited until she spoke. Once she had addressed him, he started in on her. Tony knew exactly what he was worried about and what he wanted to tell her so as soon as he had her attention he started, "Whatever you know about what your husband did, you are never to bring any of it up to my son again. That includes apologizing or trying to empathize or even asking how he's doing. Do you hear me?"

Alyssa immediately felt her cheeks go red with the obviously hostile attention. She hurried to explain her actions, "I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, I just…I knew he would probably never hear it from Frank so I wanted to make sure he knew. On that note, I should apologize to you too." She implored him to understand her point of view as she stepped forward.

But Tony was well beyond caring and he let her know with a mix of anger and dismissiveness, "Yah, I don't care. Here's the thing, your husband didn't, and still doesn't, give a damn. He's not apologetic, he knew exactly what he was doing and so what you did, your apology, was simply to make yourself feel better but unfortunately for you, it made Peter feel like shit. In case you haven't noticed already, I don't give a flying fuck about your feelings or your guilt, I'm worried about him so I'm telling you that you are never to talk to him about that again, do you understand me?"

"Ye…yes." Alyssa stuttered before she found her voice again, "But I think…"

"No." Tony said simply, "You aren't allowed to think. I'm telling you the situation. If you don't like it, you can leave." Just to make sure she understood how serious this was, Tony added, "And don't think I won't know if you choose to ignore what I'm saying. FRIDAY." Tony ordered.

Alyssa jumped as she heard the responding, "Yes, Boss?"

Tony looked back at her, his voice hard and sincere, "If Peter doesn't tell me, because let's be honest, he's a better person than me," Tony pointed up at the ceiling and explained, "she will." He let that sink in for a moment before he continued, "And if that happens, we're not helping your daughter anymore. That's it. I'm well past done with your shitty family and so if you decide that your wellbeing is more important than my son's, I'll ban you from this facility and I'll make sure to tell him that it was your decision." When she started to utter a singular syllable, Tony held up his hand and interrupted, "Nope, nuh-uh, not going to happen. Don't talk, don't try to defend yourself, just nod."

Alyssa felt tears spring to her eyes again as she nodded, her jaw tight. She couldn't help the guilt that was clawing its way up her throat, she hadn't meant to make Peter feel bad, but seeing Tony's anger and protectiveness meant that she had. It also meant that now she was a part of the problem.

* * *

 **Phew - this one took me longer to write for some reason! I just couldn't get that first part of the story right so I'm hoping it worked for you!**

 **Okay so this is one of those random extra things that get added into stories. I had a meeting at my job about how to deal with people who have had traumatic experiences. One of the things that happens often is that people outside of the situation try to say something that makes the victim feel better but in fact, makes the speaker feel better about hearing about the situation while making the victim feel worse (I hope that sentence made sense!) I feel like this is a really important idea and it was a frame of thinking I have never realized before so I wanted to include it. Using Alyssa in that situation made sense to me because I feel like the need to apologize for something outside of our control is a strong one but one that can have implications for someone who has been through a trauma. I guess, the real moral to the story is to just always pay attention to the person you're talking to :)**

 **If you're still reading, thanks :)**

 **I hope you have a wonderful day/night and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey everyone!**

 **So its like two weeks out and I'm still really torn up about Endgame and then they had to go and release that Far From Home trailer and I can't handle it right now. That is where this story comes in, it makes me feel just a little bit better.**

 **On to more positive things, thank you to everyone who has favorited and followed. Also a crazy amount of thanks to everyone who commented. So to continue the tradition, thank you to:**

 **\- the amazing JohnGilbertVampirehunter, I'm glad you liked the chapter and you responded that way! I'm also happy that Alyssa is still a sympathetic character. I might have to drop you a PM here soon, there were so many things I thought of that ending and I don't know how to deal with some of it -haha-**

 **\- the fantastic Oriande Moonshadow, Haha! I've never gotten that response before and I love it so much! Thank you so much for saying that, I kinda feel like that's where they went with Tony's character, he is totally a protective dad because he wants what's best for his kids and that's definitely what I was trying to do with it :) Also, I'm glad you like Peter's character, I was kind of worried that he was like a little too good but I also feel like that's just kind of what he would be like in a situation like this. I love reading your rambling :) Thanks for commenting and I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!**

 **\- the fantabulous Jessica Chippenstock, I'm glad you enjoy the way I write! I try to play everything out in my head and then write it to the best of my ability so I'm so happy its working :) Also, I'm happy you like the story so much and I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. And I'm TOTALLY a sucker for protective Tony!**

 **\- the outstanding skydancer121, Thank you so much for saying that! It's such a sweet thing to say and I appreciate it so much. Thanks for reading and I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!**

 **\- the wonderful Letterbug13, Thank you for saying that and that is so incredibly sweet, I'm glad that you are enjoying my story so much :) I hope you like this chapter too!**

 **\- the astonishing seireidoragon, Yah its just one of those things that came up because of another situation and so we were talking about being more sensitive to the situation of the victim. I feel like it's more one of those things where she brought up something without reason and that did not make it easy on Peter. Thank you for saying that about that scene, I was nervous about that because they're both OC characters :/**

 **\- the brilliant NameIsKohl, Thank you so much! I'm glad you've been enjoying the interactions and I hope this chapter continues that trend!**

 **\- the excellent guest, I feel the same way, its totally helping me deal with all my emotions from the last two (OMG its only been two weeks) weeks! I think I kind of needed to finish this story after Endgame for my own sanity. So I'm glad you're enjoying it!**

 **Thank you again to everyone who took the time to comment and read my story, it means a lot to hear from you and I'm glad you're enjoying the story. So without further ado..**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Frank fell back against the wall, reveling in the thump his head made as it impacted the concrete behind him. His life was over. Everything he had done had been for his family and now they were gone.

He swiped furiously at his eyes as he stewed on his situation. He had meant to keep this secret. He'd had an exit plan, he had convinced himself he was just going to lie to them about what he had done, and placate his own guilt simply by knowing that it would been worth it in the end. Then he had made the call to grab that damn kid. Frank closed his eyes tight as he went back over the mission again and again, trying to figure out what exactly he had done wrong. Each time, just like before, he came back to that bastard kid.

Stark's son.

The son that apparently no one knew existed.

The weird teenager who was extraordinarily calm and collected under pressure and could hit like he had been fighting his whole life and was twice his size.

A strange kid that had managed to be given two defective sets of handcuffs.

The adolescent whose final holding room had a door that had been inexplicably broken from the inside before any of the Avengers had completely gone through the warehouse.

The victim that had healed so abruptly that he looked like he had never been touched.

All those thoughts swirled through Frank's head until finally they solidified and he forced himself to see the truth of all the strange things he had noticed before.

Shit.

Frank brought his head forward before slamming it back into the wall behind him. Once. Twice. And then he cursed himself. How the fuck had he not seen that? It was the reason why he was able to get everything out of Stark except for Spider-Man's real name. Because when everything else had been wrenched out of the Tony, Frank's men had been beating Spider-Man.

Stark's son.

Dammit.

He slammed his head into the concrete once more for good measure before he slid down onto the floor.

In that moment, he realized the totality of his failure. He would have never gotten the truth out of Stark. And Frank now knew what Tony had meant when he told Frank he couldn't give him a name, even while he begged for the beating to stop. But that also meant Frank had been right. He had told Wes that Stark knew Spider-Man's identity. Given how smart Stark was, he had to have figured out that giving up Spider-Man's identity would have meant a bullet in the head for his son, so he had lied. It was that simple. Frank had to give him credit, it had been incredibly convincing.

Frank forced himself to pause at that thought as involuntary shivers shot down his spine at the obvious similarities between his new host and himself. Something that he would have otherwise ignored but couldn't because he was too focused on realities for him not to notice the parallels between Stark's lies and his effort to get what he wanted. Both were protecting their kids.

Then his personal frustration flared again. He'd had it. He'd had the third piece. He and his men could have been gone before the Avengers even showed up and all they would have found were two bodies but instead he was an idiot. He had been too focused, too blinded to see what was pretty obviously right in front of him. Frank felt the tears spring to his eyes again, fueled by desperation and anger and sheer stupidity. Then he realized that this one enigma of a teenager was also helping his daughter and all the burgeoning hatred toward this father and son hit a wall. He wanted to hate them. To take Stark's deal, cash out, and then tell everyone who wanted to know exactly who Peter Parker was but at the same time, he wasn't sure he would be able to ever fully hate them if Bella survived. At least not enough to put the teenager in the direct line of fire and outing him as Spider-Man and Tony's son would do that.

Still, this information could be worth something. It could give him some modicum of control of his life from here on out. That left him to think about the world after this cell. He would never get Alyssa back. He knew that when she made a decision, it took an act of God for her to go back on it. But maybe he could stay close enough that he could see Bella regularly, still be in her life. Leverage could get him that. Leverage like knowing exactly who Peter was.

Or it could get him killed.

Either way, it was a chance he knew he was going to have to take.

Frank settled on that idea, the tears drying as he thought a bit more about his plan. He needed to walk his line better, especially if Peter was in the room again. Frank now knew the limits of Stark's patience and he knew he needed to be more logical about his approach, he couldn't wing this one. He dropped his head back against the wall again but this time he focused on planning. He would get this one right.

* * *

Alyssa was petrified to see Peter again. She couldn't help her shaking hands as she attempted to calm herself down from her confrontation earlier. It had been a few hours but the abruptness that Tony Stark had left with still had her questioning her welcoming in the Compound. Everyone had been relatively kind but she was now terrified knowing that many of them knew what her family had done. The longer she sat and stewed on that idea the more nervous and guilty she felt about everything. The conversation she had with Frank played again in her mind and again she found herself wanting to talk to Peter about it, to let him know that it wasn't something that she had approved of or even knew about. She felt the desperate need to apologize and then she remembered the sheer wrath in Tony's voice and she couldn't help but glance up at the ceiling. Was that strange voice attached to cameras or something? She wracked her brain trying to remember what Tony had called the voice. It had been a day. She kept her volume relatively low but called out, "Saturday?" She waited for a minute but when there was no response, she tried again, "Tuesday?" Still nothing. Then something sparked her memory and she whispered with a little more authority, "FRIDAY?" Alyssa waited with bated breath, completely sure she had messed it up but was too ashamed to try again, when a voice answered back.

"Mr. Stark, said that I could address you in a limited capacity, what can I do for you?"

Alyssa's hand jumped to her chest as she tried to control her racing heart after the voice from above addressed her and she realized that she really didn't have much to ask. Other than one burning question that she assumed was going to be relayed directly back to Tony Stark. Her voice wavered a bit when she asked, "Are you able to watch everything I do?"

"I monitor everything that happens at Avengers' Compound."

Alyssa turned her nose up at that explanation but she still continued, hoping to get a little more elaboration, "And that means that you listen to everything I say?"

"I'm assuming that you are referring to what Mr. Stark told you earlier. If that's the case then I am permitted to tell you that I am required to report back should you say anything that upsets Peter." She stopped talking for a moment but then added, "I would suggest not saying anything."

"Why's that?" Alyssa's answering question was bordering on sarcastic, she knew why she shouldn't say anything and that was somehow even more frustrating. And the omnipresent voice was a pretty good indicator of why she shouldn't say anything else.

But FRIDAY still answered, "Peter wants your daughter to get better but Mr. Stark is adamant in his promise to lie to him if you violate the terms."

Alyssa's eyes widened a bit at that, it was nice to know that Peter genuinely cared, not that she could come up with any reason why he would need to do the things he was doing, but it was still nice to know. She absentmindedly vocalized, "Good to know." Then she came back to the present and asked, "So what else do you do around her?"

"I monitor everything that happens at Avengers' Compound."

Alyssa pursed her lips and nodded as she found one of the edges of limitation, "I take it you can't be more specific."

"I cannot."

Alyssa took a second to compose herself before she awkwardly looked at the ceiling, "Thank you for being honest, FRIDAY."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Reid."

 _Well, that was disconcerting_ , Alyssa couldn't help but think as the room lapsed back into silence. It also gave her something more to think about. She needed to keep her mouth shut. Her thoughts drifted in that direction for the rest of the time she waited.

It was a few hours later when movement behind the door caught her attention. She saw a flash of the grey hoodie Peter had been wearing when he had gone back with Bella and Alyssa couldn't help but jump to her feet in anticipation and worry. She stood with bated breath as he pressed the door open with his foot to reveal her exhausted daughter in his arms. All the thoughts she had been agonizing over fled and were replaced by anxiety as tears sprang to her eyes when she saw them. Alyssa took a hesitant step forward, arms held in front of her but without any real knowledge of what to do.

Peter saw Alyssa long before he got the door open and he knew she was going to be concerned as soon as she saw her daughter. The treatment had taken a lot out of the little girl and she had been so tired that he had offered to carry her, so when he saw Alyssa with tears in her eyes, he couldn't help but feel bad. He held Bella tightly as Alyssa stepped forward, ran her hand through the little girl's hair, and leaned down just enough to look her in the eyes where she had her head resting on Peter's shoulder. He felt another pang of sympathy when he heard the quiet worry in her tone.

Alyssa couldn't help but press Bella's hair out of the way before she spoke softly, "Are you sleepy, sweetheart?" Bella just nodded, her head never leaving Peter's shoulder. She looked back up at Peter but her hands never left her daughter's hair, "Did they say everything is okay?"

Peter frowned down at the little girl for a moment as he hiked her up a little higher on his shoulder. Once she seemed to be comfortable, he answered Alyssa in a whisper, "Dr. Cho said that she's okay but, because they're incrementally upping the intensity of the treatment, it would take a little more out of her every time. She did say that was a good thing though because it means that it's working and they have to do that." In just the span of that sentence, Peter felt Bella's breathing even out and her body go limp as she fell asleep.

Alyssa let out a shaking breath of relief before she met his eyes, tears rolled down her cheeks and her voice soft, "Thank you, for everything, Peter." She bit her tongue as she kept herself from apologizing to him again, kept herself from bringing up how angry she was at what had been done to him. That he didn't deserve any of what happened. Instead, she swallowed it all back, knowing that FRIDAY was listening to her and redirected her thoughts as she reached for Bella, her voice soft, "I can take her. I need to get her home."

Peter felt bad for Alyssa and knew that it was much easier for him to carry Bella than it would be for her. In an effort to make it harder for her to say no, Peter wrapped his arms a little tighter around the little girl and gave her a chance to snuggle farther into his neck. Then he lowered his voice, "It's okay, Alyssa, I can carry her. I think she's pretty comfortable right now and she might be asleep so I don't really want to wake her up."

Alyssa could not believe that this teenager was real. Her throat closed up and she had a hard time doing much more than nodding in acceptance of his offer. She coughed a bit to clear her throat and managed to choke out, "Thank you." Then she awkwardly stood in front of him, unsure of whether or not she should lead him out to the car, surely he knew the Compound better than she did, would it be terrible to assume she should lead him?

Peter watched her for a moment as he tried to figure out if she was going to leave first or if he should just started walking. He wasn't sure why but he was getting a bit of a weird vibe from her, one that didn't quite match the easy interactions they had before. Everything was just a little off, kind of stilted. So when she hesitated for a little too long, Peter took the initiative and stepped out of the med wing. He felt Alyssa step just behind him and then eventually next to him but she didn't say anything even though she kept looking over at him like she wanted to. Peter caught her out of the corner of his eye but for the first time in a long time, he found himself unable to come up with anything to say.

Alyssa watched the way that Peter continuously adjusted his hold on Bella, making sure she was comfortable and ensuring that she could continue to sleep as they walked. She still felt the anxiety that came with being watched but at the same time, she was overcome with the need to talk to him, so finally she blurted out, "You're brother is very lucky."

The sudden statement caught him off guard and he wasn't sure how to respond so instead he stuttered out, "Wh…what? I mean…umm…thank you."

Alyssa looked up at him as she started to panic at the confusion in his tone. Would that be enough to get her in trouble? Tony had told her not to ask about what had happened or about how he's doing but this was not that. She was really just trying to complement him, hoping that if she could offer him some confidence or praise it would help to offset some of what had happened. She hurried to explain, "Just…you're very good with her and she's someone you met by chance so I just can't help but think that your little brother is going to be very lucky."

Peter smiled uncomfortably and again thanked her. It made him self-conscious to hear the compliments but he hoped that was all she wanted to say so he let the conversation lapse into embarrassed silence.

Alyssa felt the awkwardness of the situation to her core and realized that everything she was doing was not helping. She needed to make this better. Alyssa tried once more, "How's he doing?"

That Peter could answer with slightly less weirdness, in fact, he couldn't keep the smile off his face when he whispered, "He's doing well. He's been keeping my dad and Ms. Potts up pretty much every night but I think he's starting to get a little better."

The use of 'Ms. Potts' caught her off guard and for a split second, Alyssa almost asked about that. Almost asked why he didn't call his father's wife 'mom' but bit down on her tongue because that was not an appropriate question for her to ask in the slightest. Whatever relationship they had seemed to be strong enough for Pepper to act and speak on his behalf, which meant it was absolutely none of Alyssa's business. Then she caught what he said about the baby getting better and Alyssa couldn't help but chuckle at the predicament of the new parents, before she explained "Unfortunately, there's probably still a few more months of that, Peter. But I'm sure they're happy he's healthy."

Peter smiled again as he tightened his grip on Bella then he answered quietly, "They are happy."

Alyssa let herself relax a bit when she saw him smile. That was a much more positive response so she kept going with that vein of questions, "What's his name?"

Peter shifted Bella again before he explained, "Morgan. He's named after Ms. Potts's…uncle…apparently he was someone my dad liked a lot, I think he thought he was interesting. I never met him."

The conversation fell a little more naturally there as Alyssa pulled the door open to the parking garage to give Peter the chance to step through unimpeded. She stepped back in front of them and gestured in the vague direction of her car, "We're just over there."

Peter gave her a half smile and whispered, "I'll follow you."

Alyssa stepped around him and walked toward the car, tugging her keys out of her purse as she went. As soon as they were close enough, Alyssa pulled open the door and stepped back so Peter could put Bella in her car seat.

Peter carefully slipped the little girl off his shoulder and maneuvered her into the seat. She shifted a bit as he was getting her settled, her small face crunching up to show her dislike at being moved. Then her quiet voice drew his attention, "P'ter? Where we going?"

Peter gave her a soft smile and leaned down so he was on her level, "You're going home Little Bug, it's time for you to sleep in your own bed."

She pressed her fists into her eyes seemingly in an attempt to wake up at bit more before she explained, "Want to stay wif you."

Peter gave her a soft smile before he responded, "Maybe soon but not right now," he looked over his shoulder toward Alyssa before he turned back to Bella and he lowered his voice, "I think your mom probably wants to go home." But before he even finished his sentence, he could see the tears building in her eyes and he immediately felt guilty. Still, he knew there was nothing he could do about it so he put his hand on her cheek and added, "I'll be here when you come back."

Bella looked up at him as a few tears dripped down her red, splotchy cheeks and she squeaked out, "Promise?"

Peter's smile widened a bit more when he answered, "I promise, bug." Then he ducked out of the back seat and looked at Alyssa before he held out his hand. He saw the hesitation in her face for a moment before she took it and he explained, "I'll meet you in the waiting room again tomorrow."

"Thank you, Peter. And please tell your dad thank you from me."

Peter nodded and stepped back as she dropped into the driver's seat and pulled away. Once they left the garage, he turned and headed back inside.

* * *

Frank spent the better part of the morning attempting to figure out exactly what he was going to ask for and how he was going to phrase it. When he finally felt like he was ready to at least bring it up to Tony, he pressed his head up against the bullet proof glass that acted as the door to his cage and knocked loudly. It took a few minutes but eventually, two men and the archer appeared.

Without waiting for them to ask what he was knocking about, Frank demanded, "I want to talk to Stark."

Clint shot him a shit-eating grin as he snapped back, "Yah that's not going to happen. He's done with you. Aren't you getting some money or something to keep quiet about what you did? How is that seriously not enough?"

Frank had to smother a snarl as he laid out what he knew to be true, "Tell him that if he doesn't come down here and talk to me that when I leave this place, I'll tell the first low-life scumbag who can pay that I know who Spider-Man is."

"You're joking right? You honestly think that you know who Spider-Man is from, what? Sitting alone in this room?" Clint let the incredulousness hang even the air even as he tried to calm his racing mind. Inherently, he knew this bastard knew Peter's secret.

Frank's smile widened at Clint's statement. The man might have spoken confidently, but Frank could see the concern behind his eyes and he pressed that advantage, "You tell Stark, that someone very important to him is about to be outed unless he comes down here himself and talks to me about my future."

Clint didn't want to give anything away but at the same time, he knew he needed to tell Tony about what was going on. He tried to play up his disbelief of what Frank was claiming, "Yah, I think you're lying. I think you just want to get him down here again so you can screw with him once more before you end up in some hellhole somewhere on the far corner of the globe."

But Frank wasn't ready to back down and he leaned closer to the glass, finally letting himself snarl at the envoy, "You tell Stark that if he doesn't want his son outed as Spider-Man, that he'll come down here and listen to my terms."

Clint glared at him for a moment before he continued leaning into his lie as boldly as he could, "You're a dumb bastard if you think that Tony Stark would let his son do anything as dangerous as fight crime." He turned and stalked away, hiding the anxiety that came with knowing someone else, someone dangerous, knew Peter's identity.

Frank couldn't believe the flippant behavior. Given Tony's earlier behavior, he would have assumed that any mention of his son would be enough to get the man down here but it seemed as if that was not the case. As he watched the archer turn away, followed closely by the other two men assigned to him, he let his head fall forward onto the glass. Still, he let himself feel a little optimism. He knew he was right. Clint had been lying and was trying to throw him off. Frank smirked to himself and told himself that he would be seeing Tony Stark again soon.

* * *

Peter dragged himself back to their floor. He was already emotionally drained and the day wasn't even half over. Still he didn't want to sleep, he wanted to keep going so he decided a run was probably his best bet. At the very least, it would make his body as tired as his mind and at its best, it would wake him up for the rest of the day. Plus it would give him a chance to get some of his nervous energy out. He didn't expect anyone to be there when he stepped out of the elevator but he saw Pepper on the couches with a few screens and a stack of documents laid out in front of her. Peter couldn't help but notice how tired she looked and just to make sure he didn't scare her, he quietly called out, "Ms. Potts?"

She glanced up from her work and a small smile grew across her face, "Hey, Peter." Almost immediately, she noticed something was wrong and her smile fell a bit as she asked, "Is everything alright?"

Peter gave her a smile as he explained, "Yah, I was with Bella and that always just kinda wears me out, I'm gonna go for a run. Unless you have something I can help you with..." He glanced over at the documents she was reading, all of them had the Stark Industries logo at the top and he couldn't help but ask, "I thought you had some time off from this?"

Pepper smiled again, "I do, these are just a few things that I needed to initial, I just wanted to make sure that I read through them first."

Peter's brow furrowed and he asked, "Where's dad? Can't he help you with that."

Pepper gave him a sad smile before explaining, "He's sleeping. Morgan woke him up again last night and I don't think he was able to get back to sleep. I didn't want to wake him up for this."

Peter glanced sideways at the paperwork spread out across the table, most of it was acquisitions stuff but some of it he understood and most of those looked like patents. Realizing he might be able to give Pepper a break, Peter asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Pepper looked up at him carefully, taking in the exhaustion visible in his shoulders she tried to throw him off the scent, even as she saw him reading through one of the patent requests that she really could use some help with. Normally, that was Tony's job and she couldn't do that to him, he had said he was going for a run and there was no reason for him to be dragged into her work. Only one person in this house needed to be bogged down at the moment. So Pepper stuck with that and smiled gently up at Peter before she explained, "Thank you for the offer but I think I'm alright."

But Peter was already focused on what he was reading, it was some kind of modification for one of the portable self-sustainable energy systems. He had worked with that before. Then he saw another one under it that dealt with, oddly enough, some of the propulsive technology he had lied to Frank about. He absentmindedly asked her, "Is this set aside for my dad?"

Pepper realized there was no sense in lying to him, "It is. I need him to check the science for everything before I can sign off on the requests. I figured I would just give him something to do when he woke up."

"I could do it."

"You know this well enough to proof it?" Pepper knew he was incredibly smart, a rival to Tony's significant intellect but that didn't mean that he knew the ins and outs of the science enough to proof the requests.

"Yah, dad gave me all the energy systems stuff earlier in the year for a paper I had to write for class and we work with the propulsive stuff every time we work on his suit. I could definitely check the math and the equations for sure. If there's anything I don't know I can leave it for him." He pulled one of the requests off the top of the pile before he mumbled, "This way he won't have as much to do and you don't have to sit on it until he wakes up." He sat down next to Pepper on the couch, already working through the document. His face scrunched up when he caught something that didn't quite make sense and his eyes flicked up to the table in front of them before he turned to Pepper and asked, "Do you have a pen or a pencil or something?"

Pepper sat in astounded silence as she stared at him for a moment before handing over the required writing implement. Then she watched as he went back to work, crossing out pieces of equations and writing new ones above it. It was mesmerizing to watch him, much like when she would watch Tony work through something. After a minute though, she shook her head and got back to her own work.

Peter continued to read through documents and all thought of running and exhaustion wore away. This he was good at, this was helpful. And it was interesting. He curled back into the couch as he pulled the documents into his lap and continued to write on his knees, most of the papers were thick enough that he wasn't at risk of tearing through the paper, until he got to the end of course. Even then, he almost didn't notice when Pepper handed over a thin book of some kind so he didn't have to keep balancing the papers on his lap. He took it with a small smile and got back to work.

* * *

Tony groaned as he shifted a little uncomfortably but he was close enough to conscious that he couldn't just ignore the pain, which forced him completely awake. Rolling over to his side, he threw his arm out to where Pepper normally slept and when he hit cool sheets, he popped his eyes open to look around the room. He realized he was alone and that there was a little light peeking around the corners of the windows. Pushing himself carefully up against the headboard, Tony asked, "FRIDAY, what time is it?"

"It's 11:48, boss."

"In the morning?" Tony's incredulous question broke the stillness of the room.

"Technically yes but closer to noon would be the more accurate descriptor."

Tony groaned as he slapped his arm to his forehead and dropped his head back against the headboard of the bed. He closed his eyes tight as he tried to force the last of the sleep out of his mind. Morgan had woken them up early in the night and Tony hadn't been able to fall back to sleep. He had wanted to see Peter but knew that his son would need to be up early, so Tony forced himself to just check in but not wake him. Instead he had spent time working through what he was going to say to Alyssa and only after he had said what he needed to say was he able to fall back to sleep. Pepper must have assumed he'd had a nightmare and let him sleep in. He squeezed his eyes shut once more before he opened them and asked, "Where's Pepper?"

"She and Peter are currently working in the living room."

Tony mumbled to himself, "Working on what?"

But as she was wont to do, FRIDAY heard him and replied, "Stark Industry paperwork that needed to be approved by the CEO."

Tony had so many other questions but realized that asking FRIDAY was not the best course of action, instead he rolled out of bed and grabbed the first zip-up hoodie he could find off the back of a chair before heading slowly out into the living room. He saw Pepper pressed into the corner of the couch and leaning over the table with some paperwork spread out in front of her while Morgan slept in the crib at her side. Peter sat next to her, curled into the cushions with a pen in his mouth and a book on his lap that held a bound stack of paper. For a moment, Tony just took in his family and he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. He wasn't sure what to say and he didn't want to scare anyone so he walked in front of them and gingerly sat down next to Peter. Tony relaxed back into the couch for a beat before he leaned over Peter's shoulder to look at the paperwork he was working through, taking in the blue scratch marks that corrected some of the calculations on the page. He watched for a few minutes before asking, "What can I do to help?"

Peter continued reading the document he was already working on but reached out to the table and slapped his hand onto one of the packets stacked to his left. He plopped the document in his lap and finished the page before he turned to face Tony. He smiled at his dad as he put the packet in his hands and explained, "I've been helping Ms. Potts with some of the patent stuff and I think I've got a good handle on most of it but I'm not sure what they were getting at with this…" Peter paused as he flipped through some of the papers before stopping on a page with a circled question mark in the margin, "here."

Tony put his hand on the page and flipped back to the beginning as he started to read through the document from the beginning, smirking at the corrections Peter had made. When he finally got to the question marked page, Tony saw where Peter was confused and realized he was confused because he had been right earlier in the document. Tony flipped back through and circled where the ultimate mistake started. Turning back to where Peter was still working through the other report, Tony couldn't help but ask, "Why are you still in high school?"

"What? What do you mean? What'd I miss?" Peter's brow furrowed as he leaned over the document and attempted to find his mistake.

"You didn't miss anything, that's what I'm saying. This thing has to go through at least two other people before it gets here and none of them caught this…" Tony flipped to the page he had marked as the start of the problem. He looked up at Peter and he could feel the pride on his face, "This was why you couldn't figure it out, because whoever wrote this messed this up which made this…" Tony flipped again back to the originally marked page, "not make sense with the corrections you made." Tony looked over Peter's head at Pepper, "Would it be completely out of line for me to staple his intern badge to this and send it back down to R&D?"

Pepper shot him a look that said everything she needed to say but at the same time, Tony watched her eyes crinkle up at the edges as she added, "You may not do that but you can send it back to him with Peter's corrections on it."

Peter looked between the two of them suddenly feeling very self-conscious about the fact that he might have just gotten someone in trouble. Before he could keep himself from saying it, Peter mumbled, "Dad, I don't want to get anyone in trouble…"

Tony smiled and shook his head as he tried to calm his son's fears, "You're not getting anyone in trouble, Pete. But could you sign this?" Tony held the document out to him obnoxiously, laughing as Peter pushed it away. Then he threw the packet on the table and dropped his arm around Peter's shoulders before he explained, "This is why all this stuff has to come through us. No one's getting fired, we just have to send it back and tell them to fix the problem." Then he looked back over at Pepper, "How much more do you have to do?"

She signed the last page with a flourish and glanced over at the other two, "That's it." Then she saw the couple applications still on the table and she pointed at them, "Minus those but those are your territory."

Tony smiled over at her before he leaned forward and pulled one of the packets off the table before slapping it into his lap, his arm still thrown around Peter's shoulder as he started to flip through it. He only got a couple of pages in when the elevator dinged, dragging his attention over to the door and immediately setting off the warning bells in his head. They rang a little louder when Clint, Natasha, and Steve stepped onto their floor. That in and of itself was not too threatening, the problem was the morose looks each had on their faces. Tony froze, he felt panic rise up in the back of his throat and he involuntarily pulled Peter tighter to his side. He felt Peter look up at him but Tony couldn't tear his eyes away from the approaching trio.

Peter felt Tony tense as soon as he saw the three step into the room that caused his own anxiety to flare up. In response, he couldn't help but slide his arm behind his dad's back and hold on, the document in his lap forgotten.

None of the three on the couch said anything as they waited with bated breath until one of the intruders began.

Steve, Clint, and Natasha stepped up in front of the family on the couch and for a moment just stood there. When no one immediately spoke, Natasha elbowed Clint, seemingly as a way to get him started. His voice was quiet and almost shell-shocked as ground out, "He knows."

The ominous tone of Clint's statement sent shockwaves through Tony and he felt the bite of panic morph into anger at the lack of information so he couldn't help but snap, "Who knows? What does that even mean?"

Clint gestured toward Peter and elaborated, "Frank knows Peter is Spider-Man."

Tony unconsciously leaned forward, pressing Peter farther behind him as he snarled, "What? How the hell did that happen?"

Clint shrugged before he answered, "He says he won't explain anything until he talks to you."

Peter immediately pushed passed Tony so he was leaning forward on the edge of the couch, mimicking his dad but he kept his mouth shut until he heard the decision.

Tony felt Peter slid forward at Clint's explanation and couldn't help but internally groan as he felt his the tension in his son's shoulders. Tony glanced over at Peter before looking again at the group, a frown deepening his features as he realized exactly how this was going to go. Tony felt his own panic ratchet up when he saw the set in Peter's jaw, the clenched fists, and he knew Peter was going to try to argue. Still, if Frank knew Peter was Spider-Man then this was something Tony had to deal with. Tony sucked in a breath and held it to prepare for the coming fight as he said, "Fine, looks like I'm talking to him."

As soon as he heard what Frank wanted, Peter knew exactly what his dad was going to say and he also knew he couldn't let it happen. He felt protectiveness flare in his gut and it forced him out of the cushions behind him. He wasn't letting Tony do this on his own. When Tony said he was going to talk to him, Peter unconsciously chimed in, "Not without me."

Tony turned toward Peter. For as little as he knew it was going to do, Tony knew he had to try. Hoping that the bags under his eyes would give him some leverage, Tony spoke in a plea for rationality, "Peter…after the last time, I don't know if that's a good idea."

But Peter lifted his chin in defiance, "I don't care, I'm still not okay with that."

Tony knew better than to fight with his son in front of a group of people, they usually sided with Peter regardless of whether or not Tony had the better argument. So instead, he sighed and gestured his acceptance of the plan. He had to talk to Frank and if backup came in the form of his son, he wasn't sure he would be able to fight it. Even after last time. He cursed his own weakness as the need for Peter's presence outweighed his instinct to keep him out. That and Tony suddenly realized just how damn tired he was. He looked back over at Natasha and Clint, "We'll talk to him tomorrow. Did he say anything about what he wanted to keep this quiet?"

Clint shook his head, "He just said that he wanted to talk to you."

He turned his head to the side and glanced at the floor as he tried to calm himself down. As he did, he couldn't help but quip under his breath, "Would it be too much trouble to just kill him?" But that was a mistake as he felt Peter shift next to him.

Peter knew his dad was probably joking but at the same time, he had to be sure as he added, "No, we shouldn't do that."

Tony frowned and tightened his grip on his son's shoulder as he reassured him, "I won't, Pete, promise."

There was an awkward silence as the six stared at each other before Tony eventually had to deal with it. He clapped his hands together and slid back into the couch, "Well since you've all ruined the mood, how about we watch a movie or play some games or something other than staring at each other in an effort to see who is more upset about this."

* * *

The three accepted the awkward invitation and eventually, as had become their custom, the others stopped by later in the day and the gathered Avengers again entertained themselves with movies and games, ordering dinner to the Compound and trying to pretend like there wasn't a threat, even while all of them kept it in the back of their mind. They had decided to discuss the situation before Tony and Peter talked to Frank the next day but at this point, it was better to let it sit and just try to enjoy what they were doing.

Eventually, Pepper started to nod off against Tony's shoulder and the others slowly filtered out not long after. Once they were gone, Pepper excused herself, giving Tony a soft kiss before she and Morgan headed to bed. That left Tony and Peter were alone in the living room.

Peter knew his dad was mad at him for the decision he had forced earlier and while that knowledge wasn't enough to make him change his mind, it did make him want to at least explain himself. He glanced over at Tony before he quietly said, "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier, I just...I really can't have you defending me on your own. Not after what happened. I need to be there."

Tony dropped his hand on Peter's shoulder as he sighed but then turned toward his son more fully, "I know. I understand, I just wish you were a little less stubborn when it came to things like this. I just want to protect you." He dropped his eyes for a moment before he looked back up at Peter and confessed, "I'm afraid this might be a trick."

Peter gave him a sad smile before he answered, "It probably is but I know that now and I'll be okay. I can't leave you alone with him. I can't do it. So if it means I have to deal with what I did before, I'll do it."

Tony frowned at him before he wrapped his arm fully around his shoulders and pulled him back into the cushions, buying himself a little time and trying to figure out what he was going to say. When he did, he leaned over and kissed Peter's head before he answered, "I don't like it but I understand and I appreciate it." He closed his eyes as he felt the guilt build in his gut before he explained honestly, "I'm glad you're so stubborn, Pete. Thank you."

Peter nodded in acceptance of the statement and cuddled closer into his dad's shoulder, worried about him changing his mind and this truce ending. When it didn't, Peter realized they had reached an understanding and that was all he could hope for.

Tony glanced down at his son and asked, "Want to pick a movie?" He knew he probably wouldn't make it through whatever Peter chose but he wasn't ready to let go just yet.

Peter couldn't help but sit up and look over as his eyes narrowed, "Shouldn't you head to bed?"

Tony smiled conspiratorially before he responded, "Nope, I've got just enough time left to watch a movie with my son."

Peter smiled as he relaxed again, they were okay. He knew that his dad should probably get some actual sleep but at the same time, he was enjoying the company so he didn't push it. Instead, he called out, "FRIDAY, play Rogue One."

It wasn't long before Tony fell asleep on Peter's shoulder, he didn't even make it through the first half of the movie. But Peter didn't have the heart to wake him up, and he let him sleep, shifting some so Tony was resting a little more comfortably on his shoulder. Eventually, Peter felt that same pull of exhaustion and he dropped his head onto Tony's and closed his eyes. He was asleep in minutes and as he dosed off he couldn't help but know that they would get through this like they always had, together.

* * *

 **So there you have it, I have the last two to three (depending on extra things I need to tie up) chapters planned out and I think that's going to be about it for this story. This is definitely the longest thing I've ever written and I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read it and participate in this really fun activity. I also have to apologize for the sappiness of the last scene, normally I don't write that way but I kind of felt like I really needed it!**

 **Also, I can't help it but I definitely keep picturing Bella as the actress who played Morgan in Endgame, mostly because I think I really need a Peter/Morgan scene in Far From Home!**

 **But all my ramblings aside,**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful day/night and stay creative!**

 **\- Lily**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey everyone,**

 **Okay so this is a bit of a longer chapter, I couldn't find a good stopping point so I put a bit more in than I normally do, I'm sorry if that makes it harder for some of you to read but I hope you enjoy the chapter anyway! Also, I'm sorry for the bit of a late update on this one, I was trying to work through exactly where I wanted it to wrap up at and went back and forth on that a few times so I hope it works :)**

 **Thank you to everyone who has favorited and followed and as has become tradition, thank you to all my amazing commenters! It's always so lovely to read your comments, you're all so amazing and wonderful. So thank you to:**

 **\- the fantabulous skydancer121, Wow...thank you so much for saying that! That's such a nice compliment and I really appreciate it :) I hope you enjoy this chapter too!**

 **\- the amazing JohnGilbertVampirehunter, Yah I kind of used the idea that's always served Spider-Man well, no one expects it to be a teenager but I'm glad you appreciated the fact that he had to figure it out eventually and at least now they can deal with that. As for the trailer, I agree, it's kind of like being continually punched in the face as this point. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **\- the wonderful Oriande Moonshadow, You are totally special! And I knew what you meant and I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear when I responded! I just love your enthusiasm, it's SO fun to read and I'm so glad you're enjoying my story :) I'm glad you love Irondad, I totally do too, and I hope you like this chapter as well!**

 **\- the marvelous carajiggirl, you are good! I understand that but I'm glad you liked the chapter and I'm so ready for a Morgan/Peter scene although I'm afraid we're not going to get it :/ I hope the justification I used makes sense for the Spider-Man thing! Thank you for commenting!**

 **\- the lovely Letterbug13, I feel like I was doing a disservice to my character if he didn't know because he's not quite that oblivious. I'm glad you like the protectiveness and I hope you enjoy this chapter too :)**

 **\- the magnificent seireidoragon, I kind of see what you mean and I hope this chapter helps to answer those questions and start to wrap up the story. Thank you for commenting though and I hope you enjoy it!**

 **\- the delightful MayaTanner18, I'm still not over it and a good friend of mine and I are going to start a rewatch here soon so I don't think its going to get much better haha I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter though and I hope you enjoy this one too!**

 **Thank you so much to everyone who keeps commenting and participating, I really appreciate the time you guys take and it does help a lot to read comments from you.**

 **I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

In the morning, it wasn't the sun peaking around the curtains that woke him, it was FRIDAY's voice breaking the quiet stillness of the room. She was being discreet when she called out, "Peter, the Reids will be here in twenty minutes." It didn't wake Tony but it was enough to wake up someone with super-powered hearing.

Peter was dozing so he only caught a bit of what FRIDAY said. He was comfortable and had slept well for the first time in a while, so it took him a few minutes to work passed the sleep muddling his mind. Then it finally registered what she had said. Immediately, Peter's eyes shot open and he mumbled, "Oh crap, okay." Peter shifted a bit as he tried to slide his shoulder out from under Tony's head but when Tony groaned in response, Peter froze and tried explaining, "I have to get up, dad." When all he got was an answering snore, Peter rolled his eyes with a smile before he continued trying to slide away, cupping his hand under his dad's head as he slipped lower into the couch cushions.

Tony finally woke up at the movement. He blinked a few times as he took in the world around him because he was definitely not in his bed. Then he remembered he had fallen asleep on the couch and turned his head, whispering, "Pete?"

Peter let out an amused sigh as he waited for his dad to catch up, he knew he could maneuver out of the way but without explanation that just seemed so mean. He answered instead, "Yup, it's me. But I have to get up, I need to get downstairs." Peter wasn't totally sure how much of that Tony got but he knew he could more fully explain when he wasn't in pajamas. Thankfully, Tony seemed to get the gist.

"'kay," Tony mumbled against his son's shoulder as he stiffly pushed himself back into the cushions behind him.

Peter jumped off the couch and hurried to his room to change. He could make it if he ran.

* * *

Natasha met Alyssa in the waiting room after Peter had taken Bella back. Without introduction, Natasha stepped in front of the seated woman and waited. Once she had her attention, Natasha explained her presence in a cadence that sounded conversational but allowed for no answering argument, "We have Wes in the interrogation room. Please come with me."

Alyssa swallowed as she stood up and followed the woman without question, she didn't have a choice. She knew she didn't have a choice.

The walk wasn't long but it was enough to give Alyssa a chance to both freak out and prepare. She had been trying to come up with something since she had talked to Frank but she still was a little unsure of what exactly it would be. She settled on diplomatic. As she left the elevator, she was surprised by the change in her surroundings. It become more practical and she noticed an increased amount of security. Men and women were standing in front of a few doors throughout the hallway. It was admittedly a little strange to see in a compound monitored by an omnipresent voice but she assumed it was because of her husband and Wes. In any case, it was unnerving. Natasha stopped in front of a room and Captain Rogers was already there waiting for them. Alyssa's nerves came through as she greeted him, "Captain Rogers, sir."

Steve gave her a soft, reassuring smile, before he said, "Please call me, Steve."

Alyssa's eyes widened as she stuttered out, "St…Steve, it's…uh…a pleasure to see you again."

Steve's expression dropped a bit as he responded, "You as well, I just wish both times had been under better circumstances."

That was enough to remind Alyssa exactly why she was here and she swallowed hard as Natasha opened the door and gestured through it.

The room was dim and Alyssa was completely cognizant of Natasha and Steve's continued shadow. She instinctively knew their company wasn't for her, it was to keep control of Wes and she shuddered at that realization. But that only lasted for a moment as her attention was pulled to the man sitting at the table in the center of the room. He, unsurprisingly, looked more haggard than the last time she had seen him, he had at least two months worth of beard on his thin face and his hair was much longer than the regulation haircut he normally wore. But he was dressed in clean clothes and seemed physically fine. He was cuffed to the table in front of him and was slumped back in his chair with his chin resting on his chest. He didn't bother to look up when the door opened but he still spoke with confidence. Alyssa jumped as his voice broke the silence, her hands flying up to her mouth as she tried to keep quiet. His voice was rougher, more gravelly than Alyssa remembered and there was a bite of loathing in it that she had never heard from the normally extroverted man, "Hello Ms. Romanoff, come to take another crack at getting my confession?" He sighed into the table as he said in an altogether stiffer, more practiced voice, "I'm not telling you anything until I have a chance to talk to Frank." Alyssa's eyes widened but she pressed her hand harder into her mouth and stayed silent, she hadn't been addressed and she was a little terrified to mess anything up. However, Natasha seemed willing to start the conversation, "And I told you that you're never going to see him again...But then again, I'm always up for compromise."

Wes's head snapped up as she mentioned compromise and the deep scowl across his scruffy features highlighted his defiance until his gaze settled on Alyssa and all his bluster fell away when he stuttered, "A…Alyssa? What are you doing here? Why..." Then he turned his gaze back to Natasha and snapped, "Why the hell is she here?"

Natasha shrugged before she answered calmly, "She's here because we're helping her daughter and in return, she agreed to help us."

Alyssa pulled the metal chair back, all of this just seemed so impossible and the scrape of the chair against the concrete somehow sounded louder than it should have. She sat down lightly before leaning forward on the table. Everything she had thought she was going to say flew out of her head. When she finally spoke, her voice was more dispassionate than she expected, "Frank told me what happened." Wes held her gaze for a moment before he hung his head but he didn't try to defend himself so she continued, "He told me that you kidnapped and tortured Tony Stark in order to get his technology." She swallowed hard as her eyes started to well up and her voice thickened with sadness, "He also told me you used Stark's son to try to get Tony to tell you what you wanted." Alyssa saw his shoulders flinch as she let that hang in the air. She wanted to move on to what they needed but she was desperate for an answer that Frank hadn't given her, "Why would you do that Wes? After everything…why?"

Wes looked up at her, his eyes betraying his internal conflict, "You know how Frank is when it comes to you and Bella." He sighed as he averted his gaze as if he was trying to figure out what to say next, when he settled on it, he looked back at her and his voice was steady and his expression was guarded, "I told him to find out what Stark cared about more than his own life, the problem was, we had him in the same room." He sighed but held her gaze as he quietly added, "I didn't know what Frank was going to do."

Alyssa was curious about that response, it was closer to what she thought he would say, "What do you mean?"

Wes tipped his hands up toward the ceiling as he explained, "Peter messed up and called Tony 'dad', until that point we assumed they didn't know other. It pissed Frank off and when he decided on a new tactic, I assumed it would mean threatening the kid, maybe knocking him around a bit but we did more than just knock him around. I called Frank on it after but by that point it was too late."

Alyssa nodded, thankful she at least had some kind of explanation, it wasn't good but it was an explanation. She sighed as she put her head in her hands, trying to collect herself and get back on track.

The silence stretched for a few awkward minutes before Wes leaned forward. His voice was soft when he asked, "Why are you here?"

She tipped her face toward him, her head resting in her hand, "I want to help them. They're helping Bella so when they asked me for help, I couldn't say no." Alyssa paused as she dropped her hands and they landed with a thunk on the table. Then she continued, "Ms. Romanoff told me that they can let you go but you have to agree to tape your confession and go into hiding…" She narrowed her eyes when he turned his nose up at that comment, then she rushed to add, "that's not so bad. They just want to catch the people who are behind this. They just want to do what's right." But he had stopped looking at her, instead, he was staring at the table. She tipped her head sideways and whispered, "Wes?"

He was staring at his clenched hands and his jaw was tight when he responded, "It's not about punishing the people who did it. It had nothing to do with justice. It has everything to do with punishing us."

Alyssa was confused by that and she let it echo through her tone, "How could this possibly be about punishing you? They're talking about letting you go."

He kept his head down as he explained, "But not without restraints. Their dictated restraints. I had a deal before, it would just have been hiding, I could have told Erin and still had a chance."

But Alyssa frowned and shook her head, "Wes, it would have been an uphill battle with her anyway but if you just explain it, I'm sure she'll understand..." She was going to continue when his head shot up and the action startled her into silence.

Wes's eyes snapped up to meet Alyssa's, anger and sadness mixing with equal vehemence before he spat, "They're using you."

She had actually thought of that and she shrugged before she continued with honesty, "Maybe they are, Wes, but after what you did, I don't know that it's not justified. Why are you so against this?"

His eyes held a fire as he answered, "We were supposed to get out, we were supposed to go into hiding."

But that wasn't a real explanation and she let her exasperation show, "You said that before but that doesn't explain anything. No matter what, you still wouldn't have been able to see the boys. I don't understand how this is any different than what was going to happen?"

He shook his head as if that explained it but when she didn't get it, he sighed in frustration and elaborated, "That's the thing, it would've been different. It's not just hiding anymore. If I give them what they want, I'll be officially listed as dead. If I'm dead, there's nothing keeping Erin from leaving the state like she's always said she wanted to. If I'm beholden to them, I won't be able to follow."

Alyssa finally understood what he meant but she didn't comment on it, instead, she asked, "Did you ask anyone about that?"

He shook his head in the negative before he continued, "They won't help me. And it doesn't matter, Erin will use this as an excuse to cut me out, I won't have any say over what happens to Chris and Colin and there won't be any recourse for me to fight what she choses because I'll be dead."

Alyssa wasn't sure what to say to that, she knew Erin was more reasonably than what Wes gave her credit for but she also knew there was a lot of pain and anger that influenced the other woman's decisions. But then another thought occurred to her, "Why did you help Frank, then? It seems like this didn't have an optimistic outcome in any scenario."

Wes shrugged and the anger dropped out of his tone, revealing his exhaustion when he replied, "Frank asked. He said it was for Bella and I owed him, what was I gonna do, say no?"

"Did he tell you what was going to happen?"

Wes hesitated for a moment until he seemed to think better of it and answered, "Yeah. Well kind of, I knew Stark was the target. The kid was an afterthought, wrong place, wrong time kinda thing. Although now it makes sense why he was there."

Alyssa leaned forward, imploring as she tweaked the subject once more, "Wes, you have to do what's right. Now more than ever, you have to do what's right. You have to tell them exactly what happened and then you need to do what they want because that's the only way you are going to have any scrap of humanity left. After everything you and Frank have fought for, is this the legacy you want to leave the boys? You kidnapped and tortured two people to get what you wanted. You know that sounds like the people you spent fifteen years fighting." She leaned forward and dropped her hand on Wes's arm, her voice begging, "You have to do what's right because what you've already done is so wrong."

But Wes wouldn't be Wes if he didn't just fight a little harder. He narrowed his eyes as he sniped back, "Was it though? Because the way I see it, Stark got what was coming to him. That technology that's helping Bella right now, he's had that for years but he's never bothered to make that available to the public, why's that? Why does he get to decide what happens with other people's lives? I agree, what we did to the kid was wrong, but I'm not so sure I owe Stark anything."

Alyssa didn't miss the fact that he focused on Tony and she pressed, "It's not about owing Tony, the goal is to protect Peter. Doing this would protect him." Then she thought of something else, "If you knew about this technology, did anyone think to just ask for help?"

Wes skipped over the bit about Peter and his voice held a level of conviction and confidence when he responded, "Frank was approached and told about the technology, we didn't know it existed…"

But Alyssa saw the opening there and interrupted him, "Then how did you know there aren't plans to make it more available? Maybe it's like everything else and just takes time to go through the red tape."

Wes shrugged, "Maybe but we knew he had it and what we did saved your daughter so I'm not sure we were wrong."

Alyssa was going to argue back when Natasha's clear voice cut through her comment, "You're not the reason she's getting help, Peter is."

Alyssa spun in her seat, her voice high and her eyes wide as she voiced her confusion, "What?"

Natasha lifted her chin as she explained, "Tony agreed to talk to Frank, to try to work something out for his confession. But Peter refused to let him go on his own. When he was there, Frank decided to torment him instead of cooperating and then he stepped over the line. After that, Tony didn't want to help her. If Peter hadn't said anything, we would have never called you."

Alyssa's eyes welled up again and she furiously swiped at her cheeks, annoyed at just how much she had been crying recently, when she asked, "Really?"

Natasha nodded, "Without him you would never know any of this and Bella would still be sick."

Alyssa turned slightly in her seat, unable to face anyone in the room. Tony's anger was infinitely more poignant now, it also made Peter's continued help even more meaningful. She couldn't help the tears that again sprang into her eyes before she turned back to Wes, "Tony just wants to protect his family. You know something about them that's dangerous and he just wants to make sure that his son is safe, after everything you've been through with the boys, you have to understand what that is like. At least admit that."

Wes reluctantly held her gaze before he dipped his head and whispered, "I get that."

Alyssa leaned a little farther forward, "Then let him do what you were trying to help Frank do. Let him protect his son. I'm sure if you promise not to say anything, they can work something out with Erin." She fixed him with a sad look, "Peter's a good kid. He's selfless and sweet and he's been helping Bella. It's not fair that he be in danger because of who his father is."

Wes fixed her with a burning gaze.

Alyssa continued, confidence growing as she elaborated, "Erin will understand. I know you don't have faith in her anymore but she knows you love Chris and Colin, she'll be angry but she'll make the right decision if you explain what you have to do. You can even be the good guys in your version." She paused for a moment to let that sink in before she added, "But you have to remember that in the real world, you were in the wrong. You have to make this right."

Wes studied her for a beat until tears formed in his eyes and he replied, "You, Frank, and the boys are my family. I'm afraid if I do this, I'm going to lose all of you."

Alyssa held his tearful gaze but she responded sadly, "Honestly Wes, at this point you're going to lose us if you don't help them. The only way Frank will ever get to see Bella again is to help them and if you choose not to, I won't feel comfortable with you around anymore."

Wes dropped his head back to his chest and quietly mumbled, "Okay." Then his head shot up as he fixed Natasha and Steve with a look of distain as he snapped, "You hear that, I'll do whatever you want."

"Good," Natasha said as she stepped forward and inclined her head to Alyssa, "Thank you for your help Mrs. Reid."

Alyssa took that as her cue to leave. She stood and for a moment she wanted to say something to Wes but couldn't settle on anything so instead she turned and moved to the door Steve had pulled open. He followed her into the hallway and the heavy door swung shut behind them. Alyssa sniffled a bit as she tried to hold back her tears.

Steve heard Alyssa snuffling as she pressed her hand over her mouth and nose in what he assumed was an attempt to keep from crying. He laid his hand on her shoulder and quietly said, "Thank you for your help."

Alyssa jumped at the heavy hand on her shoulder and the surprise helped to reign in her tears. Her hand fell away before she responded, "It was probably the least I could do."

Steve dropped his hand when she jumped and instead he shook his head before assuring, "Thinking that doesn't make it easier. It's difficult to do what you did, to put your own feelings aside to help someone else, just know that we appreciate it."

Alyssa appreciated the comment and she couldn't help but smirk when she asked, "Peter's pretty popular around here?"

Steve couldn't help but smile as he agreed, "More so than Tony but don't tell him that." He held his hand forward to indicate they should start walking.

Alyssa took his meaning, she needed to get back to Bella anyway. She was starting to work through everything that had just happened when Steve's consoling voice broke through her thoughts.

Steve watched the smaller woman next to him and he could see the strength it was taking for her to keep it together. He had an idea of what she was thinking and he quietly offered, "No one here blames you for what happened."

A few tears fell as he pinpointed something she had been worried about for a while and she couldn't help but squeak out, "Mr. Stark does and I can't imagine his wife likes me much either."

Steve sighed and then tried to explain, "Tony doesn't do well with expressing his emotions but he's rational enough to understand the facts. He knows you didn't have a hand in it but he's probably just not sure how to show that without feeling guilty. As for Pepper, she's not going to forgive your husband but she knows you're not at fault."

Alyssa didn't respond, wasn't sure what she could say to that so instead, she just stayed quiet.

Steve watched her as they walked and he couldn't tell if what he had just said helped or not but when she didn't break the silence, he decided to redirect the conversation by asking, "How's your daughter doing?"

Alyssa flicked her eyes up to Steve in surprise before her expression softened and she answered, "She's much better. She's really tired when she's done here but after she wakes up she has more energy and her coughing is getting a lot better. I think she only has about another month or so before she's okay."

Steve smiled, his voice soft when he said, "That's good to hear." The conversation ended there as they stopped in front of the med wing doors. Steve held out his hand for Alyssa to take, "Well it was nice to officially meet you, Mrs. Reid."

Alyssa shook his hand, "Please call me Alyssa and It was nice to meet you as well, Steve."

When he stepped away, Alyssa pushed the door open and picked a chair to wait for Peter and Bella. Her hands were still shaking but it finally felt like she had a handle on what was going to happen which helped immensely.

* * *

Tony saw Peter standing against the wall near the entrance to the holding rooms. He was tense and looked more uncomfortable than Tony had ever seen him in the compound which immediately made Tony anxious. Still, he took a deep breath as he stepped up and put his hand on Peter's shoulder, "Are you sure you wanna do this, Pete?"

Peter looked up at Tony, "I'm not going anywhere." But when Tony then hesitated, on a whim, Peter turned and wrapped him in a hug, his voice just a little muffled when he said, "We got this, dad, we'll figure this out."

Tony tucked his forehead into Peter's shoulder and let out a shaky sigh as he answered the hug by tightening his arms around Peter's back. He needed to get a hold of himself. It wasn't going to work if he went in looking like he had already been beaten.

Peter felt a series of shivers tear up Tony's spine and that scared him. Peter tightened his arms before he quietly asked something he realized he should have questioned earlier, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Tony's voice wavered just a bit before as he responded, "Honestly, no. I would rather do almost anything else…" But it strengthened as he continued with conviction, "But he's figured out who you are and that is too dangerous for me to ignore."

Peter dipped his head a little lower into the embrace, partially to hide his own guilt at the scenario and to offer some comfort before he responded, "I mean you don't have to do anything. We can just do what we were planning on doing with him and take our chances."

Tony abruptly pulled back and laid his hand on the side of Peter's head, wrapping his fingers around the base of his neck, "We're not taking our chances with your life, Pete. Just let me deal with this. We'll get him to do what we want."

Peter nodded but a frown pulled across his face, "I don't want you to have to do something you don't want to because of me."

But Tony just gave him a reassuring smile, "That's what being a parent is, Pete. It's knowing that you would do a thousand things you don't want to do over and over again because it would mean a better situation for your child."

Peter swallowed hard but his frown deepened, he knew what he needed to do so he started, "But Tony…" Only to be stopped by a hand in his face.

"Yah, don't do that right now, Pete. I know what you're doing. It's the same thing I do when I use your full name. It was a good try though."

Peter surged forward again, wrapping his arms back around Tony, he knew it had been a long shot because he knew it was a lie as soon as he spoke the first syllable, they had been over that a thousand times. Peter whispered into the crook of Tony's neck, "I'm sorry you have to do this because of me, dad." But instead of a response, Peter just felt the arms wind around his back and hold on.

Eventually Tony pulled away and said in a hushed tone, "We have to go, Pete." He watched as Peter's demeanor changed. He pushed his shoulders back and wiped the sadness off his face, standing up straighter as all semblance of tension or apprehension or fear was gone and all that was left was Spider-Man. Tony wasn't quite sure when he realized Peter did this but he recognized the difference. Peter was determined to have his back and Tony was infinitely thankful for the backup. Tony clapped his hand once more on Peter's shoulder, giving him a smile that was returned before he took a deep breath and stepped into the room, Peter only a half a step behind.

Frank heard the door open and immediately looked up. He was coming from a place of weakness, he had to remember that. He squared his shoulders, trying to appear more confident than he felt. As he watched Tony step across the threshold, Frank reminded himself that he had one goal, be placed close enough to his family to stay in Bella's life. That was all he had left and this was the last card he had to play. It had to be right. He tipped his head up toward the approaching man but he internally stumbled. He hadn't expected Stark to bring the kid back in with him. He had assumed there was no way he would ever see the teenager again. For a moment, he wanted to keep from saying anything but then he thought about his daughter. So before the pair even sat, Frank spoke, "I was under the impression I was never going to talk to you again."

"Yah well, be careful what you wish for." Tony snapped as he pulled the chair back and sat down, displeasure abundantly clear on his face. Peter did the same.

Frank felt that old pang of anger flare up and cover the desperation he was feeling, he refused to be condescended to and so he spoke with an arrogance that countered Stark's contempt, "I figured out something very interesting about the young man sitting next to you. It turns out that the superhero we were looking for was under our thumb from the beginning." Then he leaned closer to Tony, "Did you know he had the ability to get you out the whole time?" When Tony didn't respond, just stoically held his gaze, Frank leaned toward Peter and lowered his voice dramatically, "Tell me, Spider-Man, does he even know?"

Peter remained resolutely silent and weighed his words, even while he was internally freaking out. He reigned it in, he couldn't let the low jab get to him this time. He couldn't afford to break down. He couldn't help his dad if he did. Peter held his tormentor's gaze and swallowed hard before he gave his own confident response, "He's the superhero, not me. There wasn't anything I could've done to get us out." Then he remembered what his dad had told him and his voice became a low snarl, "You're the one who chose to hurt him and trust me, if there was anything I could have done, I would have. Especially if it meant hurting you."

Tony watched Peter out of the corner of his eye, so that was the play Frank was going for. Trying to get Peter to admit Tony wasn't as in the loop as he thought. Well that was going to backfire. He couldn't help but smirk at the confidence in Peter's tone, even if he was a bit surprised by the vitriol in Peter's threat. He jumped in once Peter finished snarling, "Do you think I lied to protect him because we had other options? Plus, if he had been Spider-Man, and not done anything, I would have disowned him by now." Tony winced internally at that statement, he definitely could have worded that better, but it didn't matter, Peter knew the truth.

Frank looked between the two, eyes narrowed as he tried to parse out the lies. And they were lying. Realizing he wasn't getting the reaction he wanted, he turned back to Tony with an exaggerated look of disbelief on his face, "You really don't really expect me to believe that your son isn't Spider-Man, do you?"

But Tony was already done with this entire stupid exercise. Leaning forward onto his elbows, he snapped, "I'm having trouble figuring out why we're still helping your daughter if you're just going to keep screwing with us."

Frank opened his mouth to stay something to defend himself and take back some of the momentum but he stopped in surprise when Tony flicked his hand a few times and continued to talk over him as if he hadn't thought to say anything.

"Nope, I'm not done talking. You can talk when I'm finished…maybe." Tony continued, "So now I've heard what you think you know, and honestly, _normally_ I don't offer acknowledgement to stupidity, but your sad attempts to be clever could cost my son his life so I'm here for one reason and one reason alone…to let you know that you're wrong. He's not Spider-Man."

"You would say that."

"Yah you're right, if Peter was Spider-Man and I knew, I would definitely tell you that but it also happens to coincide with…yah know…the truth so I would prefer that you didn't go around telling a bunch of people that he's Spider-Man because all you'll do is get him killed." Tony leaned forward threateningly, "And then you'll get yourself killed because if he dies, I'm going to pull you apart piece by disgusting piece."

But Frank had expected Tony's overprotective anger and he scoffed it off, "Right and you know this because you know who Spider-Man is, don't you?"

Tony sighed and huffed dramatically before he continued patronizingly, "Like I told you before, I don't _know_ who he is. All I know is he's a little weird, has a habit of always showing up with a mask on…even to team building, which is admittedly strange, even for this group…and rarely causes any problems for anyone. I believe you would classify him as a lone wolf. You know the type, likes to work unaided, rarely talks…to anyone…doesn't play well with others, the usual. He's useful so we keep him around but I can tell you that he's definitely not Peter."

But Frank knew he had the truth and it was beginning to dawn on him how good of an actor Stark was and Frank knew the reason why. He narrowed his eyes between the father and son before starting his argument, "Well if you know him even a bit, then you know a few things about him. Spider-Man is incredibly strong, that's pretty much a given. I think everyone saw him stop a bus on youtube. So how do you explain the fact that two of _his_ ," Frank gestured with his own cuffed hands over to Peter, "cuffs broke while we had you? Or explain the fact that his door was broken by someone _inside_ the room?"

Tony was quick though, quicker than he was hoping Frank gave him credit for, "You mean, you've never had to deal with defective handcuffs? Plus are you sure he broke them?" Tony reached over and grabbed one of Peter's hands, gesturing at them and asking assuredly, "Do you seen how small his hands are? It would not surprise me in the slightest if he was able to slide his hands out of the cuffs." Tony dropped Peter's hand and leaned forward to continue, "And for the door, what type of room did you leave him in?" Tony paused as he waited for an answer. When Frank just continued to glare at him, Tony windmilled his hand between them and ordered, "Come on, come on, answer the question."

Frank was surprised by the abruptness of Tony's actions and it took him a second to register what the man had asked but he couldn't help but stutter out, "It…it was a storage room."

"What was stored there?"

"I'm…umm…I'm not sure."

"But you know he's my son, right?" Tony leaned into that lie as hard as he could, "Which means he's at least as smart as me. If you left him in a room with any type of equipment, he could have easily gotten himself out. You didn't have anyone watching him, did you?" He waited for Frank to shake his head in the negative before he continued, "Then that means you have no idea. So why was your first thought that he broke the door with physical force? You know how insane that sounds, right?" As Frank pulled at threads for an answer, Tony looked over at Peter, "How'd you get out of that room, Pete?"

Peter gave a one-armed shrug, giving himself a chance to formulate an answer before he calmly, albeit with some embarrassment, explained, "Honestly, you're giving me way too much credit. It wasn't hard. I found a screwdriver in one of the boxes and managed to pop the hinges off the door. Once I did that, all I needed was enough leverage to use the weight of the door to break the exterior lock. I found a crowbar and it snapped the lock out of the doorframe. I pushed the door out so it fell away from me."

Tony thanked god that Peter was as smart as he was. He shrugged as he looked back at Frank, "See, he's not super strong, he's just a smart kid." Then Tony took his turn to bite back, "And also, if your evidence is what you know about Spider-Man, did you see him climb any walls? Or shoot webs? Because I might not know who he is but I build suits for the man and those are not tricks from my suit." When Frank hesitated, Tony looked over at Peter, "Did you learn how to climb walls or somehow develop webbing in your wrists without me knowing?"

Peter internally smirked and managed to keep it off his face before holding his arms up, wrists out as he pulled the sleeves down on his sweater. Then he looked over at his dad and said, "I don't think I can climb walls either but it would make it a lot easier to sneak out if I did."

Tony scoffed at the comment, a slight smile on his face before he turned back to Frank, "What else do you have?"

Frank saw his chances evaporating, this was not what he had intended when he had started this conversation. All those answers were probable which put him no closer to getting what he wanted. He was desperate and leaned forward a little more, "What about the bruises? He barely had anything to show for the treatment we gave him."

Tony scoffed, "He heals fast. Please don't tell me that you think the ability to be young and heal is a sign he's Spider-Man? I used to be able to bounce back from all the dumb shit I did when I was his age but no one ever accused me of being a superhero."

Frank narrowed his eyes, that was weird, still healing really wasn't enough to prove someone was a superhero. He thought about one of the other things he had noticed and for a moment he hesitated but then he reminded himself what this was for and he asked, "How was he that composed under pressure? I've never seen a kid that calm. I would imagine that someone who fights crime every night is pretty used to violence and stressful situations."

That caused both of them to stumble.

Peter opened his mouth to answer but stopped when Tony laid a hand on his arm and quickly spoke over him, "I wasn't lying when I told you that his mother kept me from seeing him for a while. He didn't have the kindest step-father for some of his life. It's part of the reason he's with me now."

Peter tipped his head a little sideways as he tried to figure out how to react to that lie. He was initially going to be flippant but apparently Tony had told Frank something when they were captive because that seemed to work. Unfortunately, it left Peter a little thrown off. He allowed some of the fear to peek through as he tried to back up his dad's story.

Frank felt his frustration starting to show. They had an answer for everything that explained Peter's strange behavior and if he was being honest, it made him feel crazy. A bit like he had when he was trying to figure out how to break Stark in the first place. If he couldn't figure this out, any leverage he had been hoping for was gone. He wracked his brain for something else to accuse Peter of but nothing was coming to mind, nothing more that wouldn't just be explained away. He realized he needed a new tactic. His mind spun and then he managed to grab onto a thin thread of an idea. As the idea formed, he couldn't help but feel greasy and disgusting, still he knew he needed to try it. His voice was low enough just to be heard, "Even if all of that is true, I still know what he means to you. All I have to do is tell the right person that he's Spider-Man." He smirked up at Tony but the mocking didn't reach his eyes as he explained, "I promised not to say he was your son. But if I expose who he is, he'll still be dead regardless." Frank shrugged as he fixed Tony with a stare.

Tony was not ready for a response like that and he reacted that way, snapping, "Holy shit, really? That's what you're going to go with?" Then he forced himself to pause and pick this newest plan apart, "So let me get this straight, your plan is to lie to someone who has enough resources to kill one of the Avengers and then, what? Run? Because they'll definitely come after you once they realize my son isn't Spider-Man." Tony was trying to wrap his brain around what was happening and he shook his head dramatically before he continued, "What could that possibly get you? If that's your play, you still don't get to see your daughter, you just end up dead and I guess you better pray that you get the nice criminals who don't plan on killing your whole family when they can't find you." Then Tony leaned forward as he laid down his last threat, "And just to reiterate, they won't find you because you'll be in little pieces once I'm done with you. I suggest you think about that because I bet if they can't find you, your daughter and wife will be acceptable substitutes."

Frank went for broke, "At least I'll have knocked you down a few pegs." He frowned at his own callousness, was this what he had become? Immediately, he forced himself to stop. He dropped his eyes and stared hard at his hands. He could hear Stark talking but he couldn't make out what he was saying. He wasn't this. He couldn't be this. He didn't want to hurt Peter. He had hated him, yes, but after what Alyssa said, he realized that hatred had cooled. Plus he couldn't put his family in that much danger. He couldn't do this anymore, it was exhausting. Frank threw his hands up in surrender and sighed, "Look, I don't want to do that." He couldn't help but chuckle at the reactions of the two men in front of him, it was humorless but it broke the aggressive tension. He dropped his eyes to his hands again before he continued, "I know what you've been doing for Bella." He turned and looked at Peter with apology written across his face as he explained, "I know what you've been doing for her too. I don't give a shit if you're actually Spider-Man, all I wanted was a guarantee that I'll be close enough to them that I can still see her. That's all I want."

Peter was the first one to gather his wits and respond, "Why did you do this then?"

Frank shrugged as he turned toward Peter before answering in a contrite tone, "I knew that I wouldn't be able to talk to your dad any other way. I just needed a guarantee and I'm sorry for the way I brought this up but I needed to try."

Tony refused to acknowledge the man was right about the access bit and instead pushed forward, ignoring the sympathy he could hear in Peter's voice and keeping his tone as biting as possible, "What's to keep me from telling you yes and then changing my mind? Or just killing you?"

"Nothing…" Frank started, "I guess I'm just asking for mercy. I know its not something I deserve but…I just…I had to protect my child. I did what I did to protect my daughter. You understand that, don't you? You have to, I already know you would do anything for your kids." Frank looked up at Tony, "I'm asking you, one father to another, please let me stay near my daughter."

Tony unconsciously recoiled at that plea but he wasn't sure why and his voice was hard when he answered, "I'm not promising anything until I talk to your wife." Then Tony leaned forward and snarled, "And don't you ever compare us again."

Frank wanted to argue, wanted to point out that they were more similar than Tony was apparently willing to admit but he realized he couldn't keep pressing and snapped his mouth shut instead, nodding and dropping his eyes. There was a thick but silent tension that settled over the room before Frank broke it, his voice was small as he admitted, "I wouldn't have actually said anything."

Tony felt a sliver of sympathy for the obviously broken man before him and he answered before he could stop himself, "We weren't going to send you away from your family unless they asked for it."

Frank's eyes shot up at that as he started, "I thought…"

But Tony refused to meet his eyes even while he cut him off, responding, "Yah I'm sure you did but we never said that. No one ever said that. That was something you made up in your head."

Frank's eyes remained locked on Tony's face and, without thinking about it, he offered a quiet, "I'm sorry…for everything."

Tony leaned forward, finally finding Frank's gaze as he snarled, "Don't bother. That's not worth anything now." Tony put his hand on Peter's shoulder and added, "We're done." Then he pushed his chair back with practiced ease and glanced over as Peter did the same before turning back toward Frank, "You're going to record your confession and in two days you'll be gone. I want my home back. We'll speak with your wife and then you'll find out what'll happen to you but just remember, if you say anything about who you think Peter is, I'll kill you." He turned his back on Frank and pulled the door open, letting Peter step out of the room first and then following.

The quiet hallway made the snapping of the door even more pronounced as Tony let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping forward. He pressed his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes as he gathered himself for just a moment.

Peter watched the change in his dad's demeanor and realized the hand he had pressed to his head was shaking. His concerned voice rang out in much the same way the door had, "Dad, are you alright?" He took a step into his dad's personal space, his hand hovering close to Tony's arm but not quite touching.

Tony managed to squeak out, "No." Then he opened his now tear-filled eyes to face Peter and his voice wavered as he asked, "You know I would never hurt that little girl, right?"

That question caught Peter off guard and for a moment he wasn't even completely sure who Tony was talking about, then his mind caught back up and he settled on a name, "Bella?"

Tony was too shell-shocked to realize Peter's confusion and he actively nodded in confirmation.

That did nothing to help with Peter's puzzlement and he couldn't help but awkwardly stutter out, "Of course not. Why are you asking me that?"

"He compared us. Said we were the same. That we would do anything for our kids but I could never hurt a child, even for you." As soon as he said it, Tony felt bad. He wanted to be able to say he would do anything for his sons but at the same time, he knew that if the situations had been reversed, he would have never taken the same course of action as Frank.

Peter gave him a sad smile before he whispered, "And I would never want you too." But when that didn't make it better and his dad gave a hiccupping apology, Peter hurried to explain, his voice confident and sure, "I know, dad. Of course I know you would never do that." Then his hovering hand found a place and he wrapped his arms around Tony's shaking shoulders, pulling him in tightly as he started to sob. Peter continued calmly, "He's trying to make himself feel better, you can't listen to what he's saying because it doesn't mean anything. He wants to think you would do the same thing because it makes him feel better but you wouldn't because its wrong. What he did was wrong." Peter pulled back just slightly before he added, "You're a hero, dad. You find ways to save people without hurting those who don't deserve it. You would find another way." Peter wrapped his dad up more fully as Tony nodded into his shoulder. Then Peter continued, "You're not him. He's the bad guy. He's the twisted one. Not you. He saw a side of you and he assumed he knew the truth, but he doesn't."

Tony nodded again into Peter's shoulder as he tried to take in what his son was saying. He knew he could never willingly hurt a child to protect his sons but he knew he would tear anyone apart who dared touch them. He knew he would go to the ends of the universe for them and as long as that remained the truth, that would be enough. It would have to be enough.

They stayed in the hallway for a bit longer until eventually they pulled back and without a word headed toward the elevator. Tony couldn't help but throw his arm around Peter's shoulders and tug him in close as they reached the elevator. His voice was soft when he said, "Thanks, Pete."

Peter dropped his head onto Tony's shoulder and responded, "Always, dad."

As they stepped into the elevator, Tony tugged him closer and pressed a kiss to his son's hairline, "I love you, Pete."

Peter couldn't help but smile as he heard the relief in his dad's tone and he responded in kind, "I love you too." He waited until the elevator doors opened in front of them before he asked, "Could we grab some lunch? I'm starving."

The question was so normal that Tony couldn't help but laugh at the request and he immediately responded, "'course, what'd you have in mind?"

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to let me know what you thought!**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful day/night and stay creative!**

 **-Lily**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey everyone!**

 **So the final chapter is finally here -phew- This has been a crazy story and definitely the longest thing I have ever written so I thank you so much for reading and following along as I've posted, its been amazing! You are all so awesome and I can't express how much I appreciate all of you!**

 **Thank you to everyone who has followed and favorited up until this point, and thank you to all my amazing reviews, most of you have commented on almost every chapter and I am so thankful for that! Please know that it always meant a lot to read your comments :) So, as per tradition, thank you to:**

 **\- the amazing MayaTanner18, I hope your second viewing was still awesome! I'm going to go see it again in a couple of weeks so I totally understand :) Thank you so much for your kind words and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!**

 **\- the wonderful Jessica Chippenstock, I don't even know what to say to your lovely and kind comment other than I really appreciate that you took the time to write something so kind. It means so much to me to read such supportive words and I'm so touched that you feel that way about my characters, thank you :) I hope you enjoy this chapter and that it lives up to your expectations.**

 **\- the fantabulous JOJX, That is definitely implied in here but unfortunately for them, there's not much they can do about it now ;)...**

 **\- the marvelous JohnGilbertVampirehunter, I'm glad you liked the conversations! Those are always a little nerve-wracking to write because they are not as physically exciting as a fight or dramatic event so I'm glad that you've enjoyed them. And I agree with you about that which is totally why I write them in whenever I can :)**

 **\- the fantastic Orianda Moonshadow, I'm so sorry! I totally don't mean to stomp on your emotions! So the story wasn't totally done with the last chapter, this is the final one because I wanted to make sure I gave closure to all my characters, I'm hoping this does it well. I don't have anything of a similar length planned right now but my muse definitely strikes me hard from time to time so I'm hoping I'll have any least one more story before the summer is out :) I'm really glad you appreciate the characters too, I prefer to read those types of characters so I'm glad that I'm able to write them relatively believably :)**

 **\- the magnificent skydancer121, I'm so glad you've enjoyed the story so much! Your reviews are always adorable and make me smile so thank you so much for them :) I hope you enjoy this last chapter!**

 **You all are marvelous and so encouraging, thank you!**

 **And without further ado, here's the conclusion of the story,**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Their quest for food eventually ended in the team's common room where they found Rhodey and Clint already making some oven-ready pizzas. Thankfully, they knew better than to make only enough for them and there were already three in the oven. Tony and Peter slipped into the chairs at the counter and easily started a conversation as they waited for the food to finish cooking.

All four had been so absorbed in one of Clint's ridiculous stories that none noticed Steve and Natasha's entrance until Steve cleared his throat in a polite interruption. Both Tony and Peter's shoulders stiffened unconsciously before they turned around to face the visitors. Thankfully, the dark looks Steve and Natasha had been wearing for the last few days had been replaced by something more akin to contentment. Once he had their attention, Steve filled them in, "Alyssa convinced Wes to agree so we have the final confession we need." Then he met Tony's gaze specifically, "How'd it go with Frank?"

Tony gestured absentmindedly, before explaining, "He'll do what he's told. I think we were able to throw him off of the whole Spider-Man thing but even if not, he won't say anything." As he trailed off, he couldn't help but twist his free hand around his wrist, his ever aching arm, as his eyes skittered away from Steve's intense gaze.

The others in the room paused awkwardly at the concerning motion but no one was really sure what to say. Peter was the only one who understood what was going on and realized his dad needed a minute, so he hurried to fill in the lag in conversation before someone could ask Tony what was wrong because chances are he wasn't quite sure yet. Peter laid his hand on his dad's shoulder before his voice cut through the silence, "So what else needs to be done?"

Steve gave him a knowing smile before he answered, "I think we have what we need, short of putting everything in motion."

Tony glanced sideways at Peter, giving him a thankful look even as his own mood was buoyed by the relief on his son's face. After hearing that, he knew Peter's look had to be a brighter mirror of his own because he could hear the unconscious relief in his voice when he responded, "Good, so how much longer do you need?"

Natasha answered, "A couple days at most, we've been working on locations to move them to already so it's really more about staging a believable escape and death. I've been thinking about downing one of the quinjets. It's cliché but we need a way to explain the lack of bodies and bullets aren't going to do it. Crashing one of the quinjets should. Plus it would have the added effect of giving us a reason to keep the government out of the cleanup."

Tony groaned at the idea of destroying one of the planes, but bit it back when he realized Natasha was probably right, still he couldn't help but ask, "Don't you think someone will ask questions?"

But Natasha had already thought of that and answered confidently, "They won't, not once they see it happen and are given access to _redacted_ ," she emphasized the word for Tony's benefit, "specs on the plane. Once they see there's a kill switch in it and that they are not nearly as easy to fly as we make it seem, it'll be a believable story." She saw Tony open his mouth like he was going to say something and she rushed to beat him to it, realizing that she had left one piece out, "Yes we're going to leave out the bit about you programming them to work for only certain individuals." Tony audibly snapped his mouth shut.

He stayed quiet as he tried to figure out if there was anything else they were missing. When he couldn't think of anything, he realized he felt lighter. He still hurt. Still had to deal with the fallout from this situation. Still knew he would have nightmares but something about the confirmation that this was actually over, made him feel just a little better.

Peter, though, had always been more talkative and filled in the silence in the room, his optimism ringing clearly in his voice, "So that's it then? It's done?"

"Yah I think it is." Steve's comment sucked the air from the room and for a moment everything stopped. They had been working toward this end for so long and it was finally was done. That hit all of them at the same time but in different ways. And then the timer went off for the pizzas. Clint quietly turned and pulled them out of the oven as if he was trying to allow the feeling to play out but the moment was still gone. Talking was minimal as plates were pulled out, drinks poured and everyone claimed their favorite pieces before they relaxed back into the couches. Slowly the silence broke down as the beginning of whispered conversations expanded to include more members of the team. It was an unconscious decision to enjoy the moment, to appreciate that everyone was still with them and they were all safe. It was a calming breath that lasted the rest of the afternoon.

At some point it was nearly impossible to tell where the rest of the day went and when Tony finally realized how long they had been together, he knew he needed to talk to Peter before he headed to bed. He waited until the kid was finished with his latest game before he pulled him away from the eyes and ears of the group and led him to one of the quieter side rooms. They sat down on the couch and Tony fixed him with a searching gaze, asking, "How're you doing with all this, Pete?"

Peter narrowed his still smiling eyes a bit before asking, "With what, dad?"

Before he even elaborated, Tony knew what the answer was going to be, still he needed to hear it confirmed, "The end of all this." As soon as he said it, he saw the change immediately.

Peter sat up a little straighter and he couldn't help the smile that broke across his face as he hurried to calm his dad's fears, "I feel better. I'm not sure why but when Ms. Romanoff said that everything was planned, it felt good. And then Captain Rogers said we were done and...I don't know...it kinda feels like everything can get back to normal now."

Tony relaxed then, his shoulders falling a bit as a small smile crept across his face, "Yah, yah it does."

Peter leaned forward and narrowed his eyes at Tony good-naturedly, "How're you doing with all this?" Then he smirked and added, "I mean, it is your plane."

Tony chuckled before replying seriously, "I'm good." He was going to leave it at that, content with the simple truth but then he couldn't help but add with a shrug, "I've been wanting to tweak a few things on the design anyway, this just gives me a reason to actually build a new one."

Peter's eyes lit up at the prospect of constructing something and he hurried to ask, "Can I help?"

Tony laughed at the question, after all these years, he still could not get over the innocence of this kid. Tony was blown away and he couldn't help but just look at him dumbfounded for a moment before he added as an afterthought, "Of course, Pete."

Peter smiled broadly before he scooted over and wrapped his arms around his dad, laying his head on Tony's shoulder. He didn't say anything more, just hugged him. Tony returned the gesture. After a few minutes, without a word, they made their way back to the collective group.

Tony only stayed for another hour, he had been away from Pepper and Morgan for long enough. Peter stayed for longer, enjoying the camaraderie of the group and the fact that he kept beating them at Mario Kart helped too.

* * *

Morgan was still awake when Tony got back upstairs and it gave him some time to play with his little boy before it was time for him to go to bed. While they played, Tony told Pepper everything, laying out exactly what had happened and reveling in her bright smile when he told her it was over. It was only after they had gotten the baby to sleep for the night and had laid down themselves that Tony brought up the one thing that had been twisting in the back of his mind since the beginning of the day. Tony mumbled as he spoke into the quiet darkness of the room, "I think I need to talk to his wife."

Pepper turned onto her side, the tiredness in her expression clearing as she focused on the problem, "Why?"

Tony turned to face her and explained, "I want to make sure that she actually feels comfortable with him knowing where they are." He had thought about ignoring Frank's request, had seriously considered it but then his humanity got in the way and so, like with so many other things, he brought it up to Pepper. His moral compass would know what to do.

Pepper gave him a fond, knowing smile as she slipped farther down into the pillow. She decided to ignore the inherent question of whether or not he should talk to her and instead, laid her hand tenderly on the side of his face before she asked, "Would you want me to be there with you?"

Tony looked up at her with her grateful eyes. He wasn't sure how he had ended up lucky enough to have this woman as his wife. She had given him a direction and honestly it was the one that made him feel better. He thought for a moment about her offer before he responded, "Would you be willing to do that?"

"Of course, Tony."

"I think it would be better if you were there…" He paused before a moment before he looked up at her, "You're always better with people than I am."

Pepper gave him another soft smile before she thought of something else, "Do you want to ask Peter to be there too? He's seen her pretty much every day for the last few weeks, it might make her feel more comfortable if there's someone there she already knows." But Pepper saw the flash of defensiveness on his face, the momentary thought to reject her idea slipped through his mind.

For a moment, Tony wholly rejected Pepper's idea to get Peter involved and the suddenness of that reaction caught him off guard because after a moment's more contemplation, he realized it was a good idea. He also appreciated how ridiculous it was for him to be concerned about it now since nothing had happened since he had talked to her. It was irrational for him to imagine that something would suddenly happen and he knew that it was more likely that Peter would be able, and want, to help. Still, that protective voice in the back of his head couldn't help but try to keep his son out of this, "Are you sure that many people wouldn't make her nervous?"

But Pepper saw exactly what he was doing, her smile slipping at the corners before she said, "Honestly Tony, I would imagine that just you and I would make her more nervous than the three of us. But if you're worried about it, you could ask Peter. He would have a better idea."

Tony dropped his head into the pillow and closed his exhausted eyes as he collected himself, when he opened them again he whispered, "No, you're right. He's probably the only person who could make her feel at ease with us being there."

Pepper remembered his concern and quietly assured, "She won't say anything again, Tony, I promise."

The wrinkles in the corners of Tony's eyes deepened as he smiled at her, "Thanks Pep."

"Of course." She slid forward and laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and relaxing into the mattress. Both parents were asleep within minutes.

* * *

The next morning, Tony went to find Peter who quickly accepted the invitation to help. He also had a solution when Pepper asked who would watch Bella while they talked with Alyssa. Smirking at her question, Peter answered with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I know how to keep her busy but we'll need a little help." When he saw Pepper and Tony's confusion he elaborated, "Bella's been wanting to meet the Avengers, do you think they would be willing to babysit for a bit?"

Tony's smile matched Peter's as he thought about the Avengers watching the little girl and his voice betrayed his own impish thought process, "I'm sure they would…" Then he looked over at Peter, "She likes playing with your Legos, right? I'm sure we could find some stuff for them to do with her."

* * *

Natasha met the Reids at the door to the Compound as they arrived for the day. She kept her voice friendly when she said, "Mrs. Reid, would you mind talking to Tony Stark before Bella has her treatment today?"

Alyssa's stomach immediately dropped and she stuttered, "Ye...yes." When Natasha started to walk away, Alyssa glanced down at her daughter and hurriedly called out, "What about Bella?" She unconsciously tightened her grip on the little girl's hand.

Natasha turned around with a knowing smile before she explained, "Peter thought she might like to meet some of the other Avengers." Then she turned her gaze to the little girl in question and asked, "Would you like to meet some of the Avengers?"

Bella bounced on the balls of her feet as she excited exclaimed, "Yes!"

Then Natasha looked back at Alyssa, "I promise, Mrs. Reid, it won't take long and it's not a bad thing."

Alyssa still felt like she had very little choice and she nodded her approval.

Natasha saw the fear still in her gaze and posture but she realized there wasn't much she could do about it so instead, she led them to the elevators and took them up a few floors. She dropped Alyssa off at one of the private meeting rooms and then took Bella down the hall.

* * *

Alyssa watched Natasha close the door behind her and stood stock still for a moment as she took in the room around her. It was dark wood and comfortable, it had the feeling and look of a meeting room of some kind. She noticed the plush chairs arranged around a central table but was too nervous to sit so instead, she paced a small pattern on the carpeted floor, wringing her hands as she waited for Tony Stark to show up. After a few minutes, she heard the doorknob twist and froze mid-stride, only stepping into a more natural position when the door swung open.

"Mrs. Reid," Tony addressed as he, Pepper, and Peter stepped into the room.

Immediately Alyssa was on the defensive. She wasn't completely sure why because none of them were eyeing her with anything close to aggressive expressions, if anything Pepper and Peter looked incredibly apologetic about the situation but Tony was impossible to read. Still, she couldn't help it, the Stark family standing in front of her was a terrifying sight. She tried not to let it show as she squared her shoulders and forced herself to address each of them, "Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts, Peter, can I ask what this is about?"

Pepper gave her a soft smile and kept her voice conversational when she answered, "Please call me Pepper." And then she gestured at the chair behind Alyssa while the other three sat down, and Pepper continued to explain, "Tony needs to talk to you about something with Frank and he was concerned about making you uncomfortable. I offered to come down with him and we both assumed you would feel more comfortable if Peter was here."

Alyssa took the proffered chair, her voice a bit more confident once she heard that, "Oh, okay." She turned to Tony and asked pointedly, "What can I do?"

Tony took that as his cue. He coughed to clear his throat and make sure his voice was even before he laid out the situation, "Frank has followed through on his end of the agreement and we're setting up locations and identities for them that will get them out of my building and off the government's radar. But I had a request from your husband…"

"Ex…" Alyssa interrupted him and then elaborated when she saw his face twist up confusedly, "Ex-husband. I can't stay with him after everything he did." As she said it, she watched the changing expressions of the people in front of her. Tony's eyes widened and Peter's expression dropped into a frown but then she caught the knowing look on Pepper's face. She wasn't sure if she should be offended but chose not to be, why would they know what she had been thinking?

Being interrupted and Alyssa's subsequent admission threw Tony off and it took him a second to get caught up before he continued, "Okay, right well, I spoke to your ex-husband and he expressed a wish to be near you and your daughter but I wanted to make sure that was alright with you before we made the final decision on his location. So I guess I just need to know if that's acceptable."

Alyssa realized she had made the right decision to avoid the offense as her eyes welled up. It would have been easy for them to ignore her, but they were continuing to ensure that she was consulted and taken care of in all the ways they could. She quickly choked back the thickness in her throat and asked, "He followed through with everything you needed him to?"

Tony nodded.

She swallowed hard before answering, "Then, that's fine. I promised him that he could see Bella if he cooperated with you so I can't say no now."

Tony held up a hand palm up and shrugged as he sniped, "Well you can…"

Alyssa smiled at the flippant comment and then looked over at Pepper and as a way of explanation, "Would you want your sons growing up without a father, Ms. Potts?"

Pepper couldn't help the small smile that pulled across her face before she responded, "No, I wouldn't. And please call me Pepper."

Tony watched the look pass between the two before he stood stiffly and interrupted, "Good, then I guess its settled and I have some last minute arrangements to make."

Seeing him start to move toward the door, Alyssa unconsciously reached out and grabbed his hand, immediately retracting her grip as he flinched and spun to face her. Without thought, she mumbled, "'m sorry." Then she found her voice and said with more conviction, "Thank you for everything you've done Mr. Stark. I appreciate the undeserved kindness you have shown my family."

Tony gave her an awkward smile as he tucked his hand back, far enough from where she could touch him again before he dipped his head, "Of course, Mrs. Reid." He held her gaze for just a moment more before he turned again and continued out the door.

Pepper watched him for a moment before she stood and held her hand out. When Alyssa took it she quietly said, "If you ever need anything for yourself or your daughter, please don't hesitate to ask. I appreciate everything you did to help me protect my family." She gave her a soft smile before she followed her husband, leaving Peter and Alyssa in the room.

Alyssa sat rigidly against the back of her chair, staring at the door and trying to figure out exactly how to process what had just happened. Eventually she remembered that Peter was still in the room and she looked over at him, her eyes wide, "Well that was intimidating."

Peter chuckled at that, "Yah they're good at that when they want to be but they weren't actually trying that time."

Alyssa twisted her fingers over a few times before she glanced back up at Peter, "So is that it then? Is it over?"

Peter gave her a sad smile as he quickly realized exactly what that meant for her and his voice was empathetic when he answered, "Yah it is."

But Alyssa wasn't one to be pitied. She had accepted what needed to happen and had prepared for it since she had found out exactly what Frank had done. She hadn't fully dealt with all the implications and outcomes but she had processed enough to keep moving forward, to keep things together for her daughter. And now, she felt the overwhelming need to make Peter feel better as well, "That's okay, Peter. Don't feel bad, I'm glad its over. It means we can start to move on." His expression dipped closer to confusion and she scrunched her nose a bit as she tried to explain, "We didn't make the choices that led us here but now, finally, we are free to make decisions again, to take back control of what we're doing. I'm not happy, not yet, not by a long shot, but I'm okay. Bella and I are going to be okay." She leaned forward and looked him in the eyes, "You and your dad are going to be okay." She gave him a soft smile, she had said what she wanted to say and now it was time to change the subject. Honesty was clear in her tone when she said, "You have a very nice family."

Peter listened carefully to what she was saying and for some reason, it lifted a weight of his shoulders that he didn't even realize he was carrying. Then she told him he and Tony would be okay. They would be and having someone from outside his world tell him that convinced him of that simple truth. He couldn't help but smile and agree when she mentioned his family, "Yah I do."

The conversation eased into silence for a few heartbeats before Alyssa snapped her hands on her thighs and asked with bright eyes, "So where has Miss Bella gotten to?"

Peter flashed her a full smile before he asked, "FRIDAY, where's Bella?"

"She is currently in the Avenger's common room."

Peter stood and gestured toward the door, "I'll take you to her."

It didn't take them long to get there and as soon as they stepped into the room, Bella's clear voice rang over out, "Mommy! Peter!" She bolted over to them and threw her arms around Peter's legs as she looked up and squealed, "I got to meet the 'vengers! We played wif Legos!"

Alyssa and Peter knelt down in front of her but Peter spoke first, honest enthusiasm clear in his tone, "Did you have fun?"

She nodded excitedly before she pulled on both their hands hand and led them back over to where the group had been playing. She swept her hand out proudly at the mystical and creative designs littering the floor as she proudly said, "Look at what we made."

Peter nearly lost it when he saw Captain America, the Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and Hawkeye sitting cross-legged on the floor with completed Lego sets sitting in front of them. So he focused on Bella. Peter smiled and crouched down next to her before he carefully picked up one of the pieces, narrowing his eyes and exaggeratedly inspecting the design. Bella giggled at his antics and then proceeded to explain the purpose of each of the toys as the others watched on.

* * *

Tony had been right when he had told Frank two days. By the end of the second day everything was in place and the Avengers were prepared to make the world think that the men who had tried to kill Tony Stark were dead.

The plan went off without a hitch and while the Avengers lost one of their quinjets, all four men were released with explicit instructions and threats about their safety if they were to break any one of the rules set down for them or their families. And if they were provided with a few tracking and listening devices as well, they were none the wiser.

Avengers Compound finally fell back into its natural state, seeming to match the relief of its namesake team.

* * *

A few days after that, Steve and Natasha found themselves in the office of Fletcher's superior, Lieutenant General George Lister. They sat stoically, waiting for their appointment, both abundantly clear on their plan of attack. After about ten minutes, the second lieutenant at the desk addressed them, "Sirs, you can head in now."

They stood and headed in, backs straight and eyes up.

The Lieutenant General was a slight man but he was tall with sharp grey eyes that locked onto his approaching visitors as if he was attempting to pick apart their motives before they even hinted at them. His voice was deep, matching the presence he cut in the room as he addressed them, "Captain Rogers, Agent Romanoff, I was told you have something that requires my attention." Lister waited until they stepped in front of the chairs in front of his desk before he held out his hand, gesturing for his guests to sit before he sat down.

Steve and Natasha both stood rigidly for a moment longer, their shoulders back, mimicking attention and emphasizing the importance of their information. Then they sat and Natasha spoke with measured conviction, "Sir, you have a problem in your command structure." She watched him lean forward as if he was going to contradict her but she plowed forward, refusing to allow him the space, "One of your Generals, Aiden Barlow, authorized and funded an attack that involved the kidnap and torture of Tony Stark with the intention of illegally claiming proprietary technology patented by and belonging to Stark Enterprises."

Lister's hard expression didn't change as he looked from Natasha to Steve. When she did not add anything else, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk as he flicked his hand toward the briefcase between them and asked, "I'm assuming that is your evidence?"

Natasha inclined her head but couldn't help but narrow her eyes slightly, the easy acceptance of what she had just told the man concerning at best. She allowed her suspicion to leak through when she answered slowly, "It is…"

Lister smirked, his face seeming to crack at what appeared to be a rare expression, before he answered her obvious read of the situation, "Am I not as surprised as you would like me to be, Agent Romanoff?"

Natasha maintained her reticent posture but still addressed his question, "No, sir. I expected more…concern…or disbelief."

The smirk fell and the terse expression was back when Lister explained, "Honestly, something like that does not surprise me. Barlow has always been an ambitious bastard and he's been nearly incorrigible since the attack by Thanos. He was still a Colonel then and even with our forces decimated, I argued against his promotion. Giving him as much power and flexibility as his current position offered was not a wise decision in my mind. It didn't matter though, we needed leadership of any kind and people above my head appreciate his drive..." He trailed off as he remembered Natasha's concern, "So no Agent Romanoff, it does not surprise me that he would go to this extreme. Although it does sicken me. May I see what you've brought?"

Placated by that answer, Steve handed over their documents. Lister flipped through them, reading the conclusions and taking time to look at the images while the room around them contained and amplified the quiet tension of the inspection. After about twenty minutes, Lister finally looked up from the documents laid out on his desk and asked pointedly, "The men who did this, who Barlow hired, they're dead?"

Both nodded but Steve explained, "They tried to steal one of our quinjets and didn't make it as far as they wanted…" He swept his hand over the images of the crash site that were visibly laid out on the heavy desk.

Lister nodded thoughtfully, "I can see that." After a couple more beats, he flipped to one of the back pages and asked, "And Tony Stark, he's still alive?"

"He is." Steve answered dispassionately.

"Good," Lister nodded once before he definitely added, "We owe that man a debt, I'm glad he's alright." Without ceremony, he snapped the file shut, pushed himself back from the desk and stood before holding out his hand, "I will take care of this."

But neither Avenger copied his motion and they waited patiently until Lister sat back down, a look of confusion clear on his face. Natasha spoke again, "Sir, we would like to ensure this stays out of the public eye. Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts recently had a child and we are concerned about the impact that a story like this could have on their family."

Lister's keen eyes held hers as he let her finish and once she did, he assured, "I understand Agent Romanoff and we will, of course, keep this quiet. One thing Barlow cannot abide is a slight to his reputation which will allow me the ability to personally take care of his removal with minimum involvement from the chain of command." Lister remained seated this time, waiting for any other concerns.

Steve and Natasha shared a glance before Steve spoke again, "Sir, there is one other thing we were concerned about, Barlow's superior, Daniel Fletcher. He was not referenced in any of the testimonies or evidence we managed to recover but there was some lingering doubt from the team about his possible involvement, given his position."

Lister's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and he paused for a moment, weighing his words, before he responded, "Now that would surprise me, Captain Rogers. Fletcher's a straight arrow and I would be hard pressed to see him working with someone as loathsome as Barlow but…" He flicked through the documents once more, his eyes lingering on the images of dried blood on the concrete floor of Tony and Peter's cell before he looked back up at Steve and Natasha, "I will look into it…" Then he amended, "I will quietly look into it."

Promise accepted, Steve and Natasha both stood, followed closely by Lister as he held his hand out for both to take. As he shook their hands, he added, "I'll keep you both informed if I discover anything and please give Mr. Stark my sincerest congratulations on the birth of his child."

By the end of the week, they received confirmation of Barlow's resignation as well as a few of his close subordinates. Life continued to return to normal at Avenger's Compound, or at least as normal as it could be. Tony and Pepper were still being kept up by Morgan but he was getting better at sleeping. Tony and Peter healed, the scars faded a bit more every day. Peter went back to Spider-Manning and Tony went back to designing equipment for the team. There were still some lingering reminders of their treatment. Tony was still a little more dependent on knowing exactly where Peter was whenever he asked and Peter was a little more insistent on texting and calling his dad whenever he wasn't near him. But for the most part, they were moving on. Morgan helped with that and so did the rest of their family.

* * *

It was nearly a month after everything settled down that Peter went back to his senior year, trying to salvage what was left of the first quarter. It took some work but he was able to catch up relatively quickly and still headed to the Compound every weekend. Unfortunately, on the last weekend of the quarter, he had to drag a bit more work home with him.

Tony found him with it when he went upstairs to ask why his son hadn't come down to help him with the new quinjet designs. Seeing Peter working on something on his laptop, Tony rolled his eyes and walked up to the back of the couch before conversationally asking, "Whatcha doin', Pete?" Tony glanced over the paperwork his son had spread out in front of him on the coffee table.

"Fillin' out FAFSA stuff. The school needs it filed in the next few weeks for scholarship stuff." His answer was distracted as he leaned forward and grabbed a form off the table, only to scowl at it and put it back to reach for another.

Tony's look of confusion morphed into disbelief as he asked, "Peter…why are taking the time to fill that out?"

Peter glanced up with wide eyes as he tried to figure out how to explain the necessity of scholarships and loans to go to college for his generation. He decided on starting with the obvious, "I have to pay for college…"

The beginning of that response nearly floored Tony and he responded in kind, cutting Peter off, "Seriously? I'm paying for your degree, wherever you end up going." As if that settled the discussion, Tony continued, "Still think you'd like MIT though…" He trailed off with a sly smile, completely missing Peter's guilty gaze.

In his head, Peter knew he was going to apply to MIT, he had always wanted to go there and with it being his dad's alma mater and all he felt like he should. But since he had been little, he knew that if he wanted to go to college, and pay for it, he was going to have to apply for scholarships and grants like everyone else. Even with the relationship he had with Tony, Peter never thought that was going to change. And he tried to say as much when he cocked his head to the side and attempted to put that into words. It didn't quite come out the way he wanted as he explained, "I can't ask you to do that, dad. I should have to go through this like everyone else."

Tony's smile dropped when he saw the determination and honesty in his son's eyes. His eyebrows knit together for a moment before he snatched one of the sheets of paper off the table and sat down on the couch. He perused the financial document for a moment before he looked back up at Peter, the scowl not completely gone from his face and his voice more incredulous than he meant it to be, "Yah but you don't have to because I'm going to take care of it." Tony winced at his own tone and tried to pull it back before he added, "You deal with getting into whatever school you want and then just tell me what it costs."

"Dad, you really don't have to do that." Peter was not ready to accept that he didn't have to pay for college.

Tony went for flippant, "Really? Are you sure? Thought college was all part of the 'having a kid' thing?" He shrugged when Peter scoffed at him and then continued, "Well, if that's the case, then I guess you're on your own." Tony then watched, horrified, as Peter went back to work, typing something into the terribly designed government website at his fingertips. Tony's voice was flat when he explained, "I was joking, Pete...I'm paying for everything."

But Peter was insistent, "It's really okay, May and I have been talking about this for a long time. I just need to get a job, take out some loans, and get a few scholarships and I'll be good."

"Peter, you are absolutely not doing that because I'm going to pay for this." Tony was started to get a little annoyed at this conversation, why was his son being so stubborn about this?

"But…" Peter countered only to be cut off by a flailing hand.

Tony threw his hand up, effectively cutting off whatever his argument was going to be, "Nope, no buts. I'm going to pay for your degree, call it full-ride scholarship for all your community service or whatever else you want to think of it as." Then he turned serious, "You have done more for your neighborhood…hell this universe…than any of your classmates could even hope to do, you deserve to go to school without having to worry about dealing with this…" He turned his nose up as he gestured down at the stack of paperwork on the table. He leaned forward then, "Pete, I funded an entire MIT class's projects for years, you really think I'm not going to do the same thing for my son?"

Peter dropped his eyes as he felt the pull of tears. As much as he wanted to keep arguing, he also knew that he never won these arguments, the money arguments, and he wouldn't put it passed his dad to create a scholarship that he somehow got him to apply for and then gave him. He was immensely grateful for the gesture and he was so shocked by it that he wasn't able to say anything.

Knowing he had won the argument, Tony instinctively wrapped his arm around his son's shoulders as he pulled him away from the table and back into the cushions but his voice carried a ring of pride when he explained, "You don't ever have to ask for something like this, Pete. I'll take care of it."

"Thank you, dad. I don't…I don't know what to say…" Peter mumbled into Tony's shoulder, trailing off as he tried to figure out exactly how to show his immense appreciation.

"You don't have to say anything other than thanks," Tony said as his eyes locked on the laptop still open in front of them, an idea forming. He smiled slyly before he leaned forward in an attempt to snatch Peter's computer off the table and still succeed in keeping the teenager relatively stable against his chest. He managed, even if it was a bit awkward, to pull the computer into his lap as he started typing with one hand. As he worked, he talked, "So how about we look at MIT's application process…"

Peter couldn't help but smile shyly as he watched his dad struggle. He had always wanted to go to MIT or CalTech but had assumed he wasn't going to be able to pay for either and so his plan had been to look at schools in New York. As he watched Tony though, he realized that maybe this was okay. That it was okay to accept the help. As Peter watched Tony fill out the introductory information, Peter thought of something to make this easier to accept, "One thing, dad. You can't call in any favors for this. No using your pull and getting me in, if you're paying then I'm going to get into the school."

Tony leaned back and gave him a wide smile before handing over the computer, "Promise. I won't talk to anyone about it…until you get in, of course."

It was a couple of weeks before Christmas when Peter got the confirmation, he'd be going to MIT in the fall.

* * *

 **Well that's the end for this story! It's definitely been a fun process and I'm so thankful for all your support and I hope that this last chapter wrapped everything up for my readers :) You guys are so wonderful, please continue being amazing!**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful day/night and stay creative!**

 **\- Lily**


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